Four teens injured in accidents Friday

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Four teenagers were injured in three separate accidents Friday in Scott, Mississippi and Stoddard counties.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the first accident occurred at 5:30 p.m. in Scott County. Bradlee J. Burton, 17, of Sikeston was traveling eastbound on County Road 518, just west of County Road 517, when he swerved to avoid a dog, ran off the road and struck a tree.

Burton and his passenger, Steven D. Watkins, 16, sustained minor injuries and were transported by private vehicle to Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.

The second accident reported by the patrol occurred at 9:30 p.m. in Mississippi County, three-tenths of a mile north of County Road 525. Darrin T. Williams, 18, was traveling south on County Road 523 when he ran his vehicle off the side of the road, struck a ditch and overturned.

Williams was taken by ambulance to Missouri Delta Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries.

The third accident occurred at 10:10 p.m. in Stoddard County. Brent R. Starnes, 17, of Bloomfield, Mo., was westbound on County Road 624 near Route AF when he ran off the side of the road and struck an embankment.

Starnes sustained moderate injuries and was taken by private vehicle to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau for treatment.

According to the patrol, three of the four teens injured were wearing seatbelts.