Deadly Stoddard County crash among numerous accidents highway patrol respond to Sunday

A deadly motorcycle crash in Stoddard County was among many accidents the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to Sunday.

The fatal accident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Route Z 7 miles east of Bernie, Mo., when a 1985 Honda ATV driven by Michael D. Norman, 38, of Dexter, Mo., slowed in the roadway to make a left turn, the highway patrol said. The vehicle was struck in the rear by a 1985 Honda motorcycle driven by Ronald P. Craver, 41, of Bernie. Norman, Craver and a seven-year-old male passenger on the ATV were all ejected. Craver was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:13 p.m. The boy - the son of Norman - was transported by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, where he was treated for moderate injuries.

It was the 24th fatality the highway patrol has responded to in the Troop E district in 2009.

Earlier in the day in Stoddard County a 36-year-old Dexter man was moderately injured when a 1990 Suzuki driven by Kenneth W. Gaines failed to negotiate a curve and ran into a ditch on County Road 607 near Highway 25. The accident occurred around 1:20 p.m.

In Scott County the highway patrol responded to two single-vehicle accidents.

The first occurred around 12:30 a.m. on County Road 538 at County Road 529 when Tonya M. Goodman, 27, of Sikeston, Mo., ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a utility pole. Her 2003 Ford was totaled. She was treated for moderate injuries at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

Later in the evening Brandi N. Housman, 26, of Benton, Mo., was driving her 1995 Lincoln when she ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. The accident occurred around 10:10 p.m. 6 miles east of Benton on County Road 333. Housman was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center, where she was in serious condition.

And at 3:10 p.m. in Bollinger County a Jackson resident lost control of his 2009 BMW motorcycle in loose gravel, ran off the right side of the roadway and was ejected after he overturned on Route EE, .5 miles west of Route K. Harold E. Landgraf, 59, was transported by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center. Landgraf was treated for moderate injuries.