Five people received what the Highway Patrol called SERIOUS injuries in the head-on collision of a sport utility vehicle and a car west of Polo on Saturday afternoon. The driver of the SUV, 49-year old Kenneth Pierson of Plattsburg, was taken to Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph.

Pierson's wife, 48-year old Sheri Pierson, was flown by medical helicopter to Heartland Regional Medical Center. Their 15 year old daughter, Lorna Pierson, was taken to Liberty Hospital. Those three people were in the SUV.

The driver of the car, 54-year old Richard Day of Lathrop, was taken to Liberty Hospital. His seven year old grandson, Aden McDowell of Lathrop, also was in the car. He was flown by medical helicopter to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

The Patrol said all of those five people received SERIOUS injuries. The accident was three miles west of Polo on Highway 116. The SUV was westbound and the car was traveling east. The head-on collision demolished both vehicles and blocked the road for about one hour. All five people were wearing seat belts.