Accident at busy Cape intersection kills 1

A five-vehicle accident at the busy intersection of William Street and Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau left one man dead, injured seven and closed the intersection for about two hours Monday morning.

Michael Miller Roberts, 62, of Cape Girardeau was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Rick Schmidt said four of those injured were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. The other three went to the hospital in private vehicles. Schmidt said none of the seven people sustained life-threatening injuries.

Police did not release the names of those who were injured Monday.

The accident occurred at about 10 a.m. as Roberts' silver Chrysler Sebring was traveling east on William Street, struck a Bank of Missouri van from behind, then ricocheted into a gray Plymouth van and a green Chevrolet pickup, both also going east on William Street. A wheel from the Chrysler then flew off and struck a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Gerald Dunlap of Pilot Knob, Mo. Dunlap was waiting at a traffic light in a northbound lane of South Kingshighway.

The other drivers involved were Joellen Whitworth of Scott City, Cody Essner of Scott City and Edward Ballard of Pulaski, Ill.

"The gray one was rolling it hit something so hard," a shaken Dunlap said immediately after the accident. "It was tumbling. There was a lot of noise."

Dunlap said he wasn't surprised that the driver of the Chrysler was killed.

"It's a shame," he said. "This is a busy intersection, but speed kills. It's disheartening that somebody had to die, I'll tell you that. It's a shame."

Schmidt said officials aren't sure yet how fast the Chrysler was traveling because the car's black box, which records critical engine information, has not yet been analyzed.

"Some witnesses at the scene said he was traveling at a high rate of speed, and some said he wasn't," Schmidt said. "I'll feel more comfortable talking about speed when we have something more concrete."

Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said he could not determine Roberts' cause of death until an autopsy is performed later today in Farmington. Clifton said the autopsy also will determine whether the victim was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Police and other emergency vehicles were on the scene within minutes of the accident. The intersection was closed for about two hours while the vehicles were being towed and the wreckage was cleaned up.

Ben Gates, manager of Quizno's, came outside soon after the accident, but he did not stay around for long.

"I saw some things I didn't want to see, so I went back inside," he said.

Staff writer Scott Moyers contributed to this report.

wmcferron@semissourian.com

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