AREA DRIVERS INJURED IN ACCIDENTS

Two serious accidents and several minor wrecks were reported Wednesday and Thursday by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

In the most serious case, Gerald Robinson, 31, of Benton, suffered severe burns from a tractor trailer accident that occurred Wednesday.

Robinson had been driving his truck about 7 a.m. when it overturned at the junction of Routes B and C in Mississippi County, according to Trooper K.G. Hampton.

Robinson was originally transported to Southeast Missouri Hospital, but he was transferred to a St. Louis hospital due to the severity of his burns, according to reports.

Gregory Alexander, 36, of Dexter, was also seriously injured on Wednesday. According to Trooper D.B. Carnagey, Alexander was driving south on Route BB about five miles south of Advance when his vehicle went off the right side of the road. Alexander overcorrected, traveling off the left shoulder where he struck an embankment and overturned, Carnagey reported.

Alexander remains in serious condition at St. Francis Hospital.

Another man, from Poplar Bluff, was seriously injured when he fell asleep driving in Wayne County.

Nick Aubuchon, 20, was driving south on U.S. 67 about 7:15 a.m. on Thursday when he fell asleep. The car ran off the roadway and overturned, the patrol reported.

Aubuchon was transported to Lucy Lee Hospital, then to Memphis, it was reported. His condition was listed as serious.

In another incident, Darrell Ritch of Gray Ridge was driving a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle on Railroad Street in Gray Ridge Wednesday evening when he suffered a seizure. Ritch, 36, was thrown from the vehicle after it overturned, the patrol reported. He was taken to Missouri Delta Hospital with moderate injuries.

Moderate injuries were suffered by a woman who was ejected through the passenger window of a car on Wednesday.

Desiree Underwood, 18, of Steele was ejected through the window when a 1989 Ford Ranger driven by Jacqueline Bryant, 33, of Steele struck a utility pole, the patrol reported. The truck had been driving west on a county road half a mile south of Steele.

Underwood was taken to Pemiscot Memorial Hospital.