Authorities say a Parkville man driving the wrong way down Interstate 55 crashed head-on into another vehicle, killing a Barnhart man.
The fatal crash occurred at 11:34 p.m. on July 25, in Jefferson County, near Pevely.
According to a crash report by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Brandon Kile, 27, of Parkville, was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 55, near the 179.8-mile marker, when the front end of his 2016 Jeep Renegade hit the front end of a 2006 Toyota Solara, driven by Shane L. Bird, 41, of Barnhart.
Bird was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the crash report, Bird was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Eyewitness Brian Charles, who was driving behind Bird’s vehicle, said he observed headlights traveling down the wrong side of the interstate seconds before the collision. Charles swerved his vehicle toward the median, just missing the deadly crash.
During the impact, the motor of one vehicle snapped off and caught fire. Charles said he dialed 9-1-1 and ran along the interstate searching for the nearest mile marker number to provide authorities a more precise location.
Authorities say Kile sustained moderate injuries and was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital South.