Area woman dies in traffic accident south of Miller

A South Greenfield resident was killed and two others were injured in a two-vehicle accident at 6:25 p.m. Monday on Missouri Highway 39, a mile south of Miller, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The driver of one of the vehicles, Debra J. Ralston, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene by Lawrence County Coroner Don Lakin. Two passengers in Ralston’s vehicle, Bryce E. Ralston, 4, and Janis Y. Dillard, 40, both of South Greenfield, were taken to Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, the state patrol said.

A southbound car driven by Dennis H. Key, 55, of Republic, crossed the center line of the highway and collided with Ralston’s northbound sport utility vehicle, the patrol said.

n Both drivers were injured in a two-vehicle accident at 8 p.m. Monday on Missouri Highway 37 at Route W in Butterfield, the state patrol said.

Duwayne C. White, 20, of Exeter, and Ernest Irving, 67, of Cassville, were taken by ambulance to St. John’s Hospital in Cassville, the patrol said.

White’s westbound pickup truck pulled into the path of Irving’s southbound pickup truck and was struck in the side, causing both trucks to leave the roadway, the patrol said.

n Two drivers were injured in a three-vehicle accident at 4:45 p.m. Monday on Prosperity Road at Route AA in Jasper County, the state patrol said.

Randall E. Doke, 51, of Seneca, was taken by ambulance to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, and Mitchell D. Bowen, 17, of Carthage, was taken by private vehicle to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, the patrol said.

Bowen was driving a southbound car that crossed the center line on Route AA while attempting to make a turn and struck Doke’s car head-on as Doke was slowing on Prosperity Road, the patrol said. Bowen’s car then was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by Randale L. Tatum, 56, of Carthage, the patrol said.

n An Oklahoma woman was injured in a single-vehicle accident at 2:10 p.m. Monday on Douglas Fir Road, five miles west of Joplin in Newton County, the state patrol said.

Michelle L. Reed, 37, of Quapaw, was taken to Freeman Hospital West, the patrol said.

Reed was driving an eastbound car that ran off the road and struck a tree, the patrol said