Darrell Todd Maurina
Posted: Thursday, March 5, 2009 2:19 pm

WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 5, 2009) — Two crashes near Waynesville on Wednesday night and Thursday morning led to significant injuries.

The Wednesday night two-vehicle wreck on the corner of Highway 17 and Longview Road snarled traffic a mile north of Waynesville for nearly an hour, backed up northbound traffic for more than half a mile, and sent both drivers to area hospitals with moderate injuries.

According to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports, Fran G. Bonomolo, 18, of Waynesville, was turning left at 6:40 p.m. onto Highway 17 from Longview Road, which is the road leading up a steep hill to Shalom Mountain and Northern Heights Estates, when she turned her 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer into the path of a northbound 2000 Mazda 626 driven by Shanna K. Proctor, 38, of Crocker.

Both drivers had been wearing their seatbelts and both suffered moderate injuries. Bonomolo was transported by Pulaski County Ambulance District personnel to General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital and Proctor was transported by personnel from the same ambulance service to St. John’s Hospital in Lebanon.

Bonomolo’s Trailblazer sustained moderate damage and was removed by Rothmund’s Towing. Proctor’s Mazda sustained extensive damage and was removed by Jack’s Towing of Waynesville.

Waynesville firefighters and Pulaski County deputies assisted troopers at the crash scene.

The second wreck happened about 8 a.m. Thursday when Quincy J. Kasper, 23, of Rothchild, Wis., was southbound on Highway 17 south of Buckhorn, fell asleep, and lost control of his 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. The vehicle ran off the left side of the road, crossed Sierra Drive and struck a tree.

When Waynesville firefighters arrived, they found the vehicle off the road in the treeline and reported that extrication would be needed. Quincy Kasper suffered only minor injuries but his passenger, Mary A.Kasper, 26, also of Rothchild, suffered moderate injuries. Both had been wearing their seat belts.

Pulaski County Ambulance District personnel transported both to the emergency room at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital. Jack’s Towing removed their vehicle, which was totaled.

Click here to comment for local opinion