2 HURT WHEN PICKUP HITS WARNING TRUCK ON I-55

Two people were injured Tuesday when a pickup truck struck a warning truck involved in a spraying operation on Interstate 55 near Old Appleton.

At 2:15 p.m., Bradley Hutchinson, 22, of Perryville was northbound in the pickup on I-55 just north of Route KK when he attempted to pass a pickup driven by Janet Keesee, 51, of Jackson, and hit the truck.

Keesee was driving a warning truck in the left-hand lane, following another vehicle which was spraying for weeds in the median. Keesee was travelling at 6 mph and had warning signs and lights activated.

The impact mangled the front, driver's side portion and tore a wheel off Hutchinson's vehicle while damaging the rear passenger area of Keesee's vehicle.

Keesee was transported by helicopter to Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, where she was treated and released. After being extricated from his vehicle by rescue workers, Hutchinson was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, where he was listed in stable condition Tuesday night.