At least four killed on Missouri roads over New Year's holiday

At least four people have died in traffic accidents on Missouri roads during the New Year's holiday, including two people thrown from a vehicle when it ran off Interstate 70 near Columbia.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said David T. Hernandez, 24, of Columbia, and his 16-year-old cousin Jorge G. Vega, of Boonville, were killed about 1 a.m. Wednesday when the vehicle they were riding in ran off the road and overturned. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

A pedestrian was killed when he was hit on a Howell County road near West Plains about 11 p.m. Tuesday, the patrol said. Richard Lessenden, 25, of West Plains, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sheilah Winters, 28, of Springfield, was killed Tuesday when the driver of the car she was in lost control of the vehicle on Interstate 435 in Clay County about 8:20 p.m. The car overturned and rolled down an embankment, ejecting Winters.

The driver of the car was attempting to get into a lane to exit the interstate when he lost control, authorities said.

The patrol's New Year's fatality counting period began at 6 p.m. Tuesday and ran through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. Last year, 15 people were killed on Missouri roads during the New Year's counting period.