Valentine's Day was a busy one for Jefferson City police who worked multiple injury accidents during the afternoon rush hour when commuters were headed home or to dinner with their dates.
The five accidents snarled traffic along Whitton Expressway, Missouri Boulevard, U.S. 50, 54 and 63, as well as roads feeding into those main thoroughfares.
The first accident, involving three vehicles, occurred around 3:50 p.m. on U.S. 50 near Missouri Boulevard. The police report shows a vehicle driven by Michael Hobbs, 68, of Centertown, was going east in the inside passing lane and had to stop suddenly for traffic ahead. A vehicle driven by Patricia Smith, 70, of Belle, was behind Hobbs, and she subsequently stopped. A vehicle driven by Jessica Chavez Lopez, 23, of Jefferson City, was behind Smith and failed to stop, striking Smith and pushing her vehicle into the rear of Hobbs' vehicle. Smith and her passenger, Benjamin Smith, 61, of Belle, were treated for minor injuries.
A second accident occurred around 4 p.m. at Missouri Boulevard and Dix Road. Police reports show Noah Newberry, 17, of Jefferson City, was going south on Dix and entered the intersection with Missouri on a green light. In the intersection, Newberry struck a vehicle driven by Amara Jorden, 21, of St. Louis, that entered the intersection going east in the left most lane. A witness said Jorden did not stop for a red light for eastbound Missouri. Newberry and Jorden were treated for minor injuries.
A third crash occurred around 4:45 p.m. on Eastbound U.S. 54 near Northbound U.S. 63. The police report shows a vehicle driven by Dawn Murphy, 19, of Ashland, was traveling in the middle lane and made an abrupt lane change to the left to avoid slow-moving traffic ahead. While making the lane change, Murphy was also trying to slow rapidly and was struck in the rear by a vehicle driven by David Woodling, 38, of Holts Summit, that was going east on 54 in the left most lane. The impact caused Murphy's vehicle to spin counterclockwise, off the left side of the road and into the median. Woodling skidded to a stop partially blocking the left most lane of Eastbound 54. Murphy was treated for serious injuries. Woodling had no injuries, but his passenger, John Buhr, 17, of Holts Summit, had a minor injury and declined medical attention at the scene.
A fourth injury crash occurred at 5:26 p.m. at Missouri 179 and the ramp from U.S. 50 West. According to the police report, Mary Helmig, 70, of Jefferson City, was going east and exiting the ramp from 50 West when she ran off the left side of the ramp, then returned to the road at 179, north of the ramp. She crossed the northbound lanes and struck a vehicle driven by Vernon Towner, 93, of Jefferson City, which was stopped in the northbound left-turn lane. Helmig was treated for critical injuries while Towner and his passenger, Laura Towner, 92, of Jefferson City, were treated for minor injuries.
At 6:14 p.m., officers were dispatched to a five-vehicle crash in the 2500 block of Westbound U.S. 50. While there were no injuries, police reports show the crash tied up traffic on 50 for about an hour.