Tragic Accident on I-44 Claims Life of Rolla Teen, Injures Another

LACLEDE COUNTY, MO (The Lake Tribune) — A devastating crash on Interstate 44 near Lebanon, Missouri, on Tuesday evening has resulted in the death of a Rolla teenager and serious injuries to another. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that the fatal incident occurred at the 118.4-mile marker on the westbound lane of I-44 around 5:30 p.m.

The accident involved a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 17-year-old girl from Rolla and a 2024 Peterbilt tractor-trailer operated by 41-year-old Adrian Raye of Lorena, Texas. According to the crash report, the Malibu struck a bridge pillar and became immobilized on the road, leading to a subsequent collision with Raye’s tractor-trailer.

Tragically, the 17-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 6:00 p.m. Her passenger, 18-year-old Linda Osborn, also from Rolla, sustained serious injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital in Springfield for emergency treatment.

Raye, the driver of the tractor-trailer, did not report any injuries. The circumstances leading to the Malibu’s initial collision with the bridge pillar remain unclear, and investigations are ongoing.

The next of kin have been notified, and the deceased has been taken to Shadel’s Colonial Chapel. This incident marks the second fatality reported by Troop I in 2024.

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