I-44 crash claims lives of 5-year-old and two women

SULLIVAN, Mo. — A 5-year-old and two women were killed, one other person was injured, in a Franklin County crash on Saturday. It happened at around 9:30 p.m. on westbound Interstate 44 at mile marker 228.4. The crash involved five vehicles, including three semi-trucks and two cars.

The accident was triggered when one of the semi-trucks approached stopped traffic. The truck initially struck a 2008 Toyota Avalon, leading to a chain-reaction collision involving the other vehicles.

Police identified the victims as Bailey N. Snider, 25, of Rolla, who was driving the Toyota. Chelsea L. Smith, 32, of Steelville, and a 5-year-old passenger in her vehicle were also killed. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. An injured man was taken to the hospital.

Traffic was likely stopped on the highway for an incident involving police and a knife-wielding man at an I-44 traffic stop . The incident happened just before 7:40 p.m. last night. Police shot and killed the man.

The vehicles involved in the crash were extensively damaged, with most of them being towed from the scene. The Missouri Highway Patrol, along with local police and emergency services, responded to the incident.

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