Two women were pronounced dead at the scene following a single-vehicle accident on Highway 71, 22 miles south of Maryville, Missouri, on the morning of August 24, 2024. The accident occurred at approximately 10:15 a.m., according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The incident involved a 2006 Dodge Caravan traveling northbound on Highway 71. The vehicle, driven by Christie L. Petersen, 70, of Sheridan, Missouri, veered off the right side of the roadway. The Dodge Caravan struck an embankment, became airborne, collided with a roadway sign, and overturned before coming to rest on its top, facing south.
Christie L. Petersen, the driver, was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash but was pronounced dead at the scene by Andrew County Coroner Doug Johnson at 11:09 a.m. She was transported to Bram Funeral Home in Maryville, Missouri.
The passenger, Kelly A. Taute, 47, of Merced, California, was not wearing a seat belt. She also suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Doug Johnson. Her body was also transported to Bram Funeral Home in Maryville.
Assistance at the scene of the crash was provided by Corporal J.M. Harrison and Major Crash Investigation Unit Sergeant J.M. Toal, along with officers from the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department and the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department.
