Head-on collision in no-passing zone leaves 3 injured in Cape Girardeau County

Three people were injured Wednesday afternoon in a no-passing zone on Highway 177 after a vehicle struck an oncoming car about one-quarter mile south of Nell Holcomb School.

The head-on collision occurred at 2:19 p.m. 3 miles north of Cape Girardeau when a southbound 2008 Ford Focus driven by 27-year-old Coby N. McHughs passed a vehicle and struck a northbound 2019 Nissan Altima driven by 58-year-old Dara L. Drury, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The report stated Drury and her passenger, 47-year-old Delores J. Lowe, were moderately injured in the crash and McHughs was seriously injured. Safety devices were worn by all three people injured, according to the report.

The crash occurred in the jurisdiction of the East County Fire Protection District and members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department provided mutual aid for extrication, according to Cape Girardeau fire Capt. Kelly Allen.

Allen said all three people were extricated by 2:52 p.m., and an attempt to contact an air ambulance was unsuccessful due to a downpour of rain at the time of the request. According to the crash report, the injured parties were transported by ambulance to local hospitals.

The roadway was closed for about one hour and 10 minutes as emergency personnel responded to the crash and the scene was cleared at 3:28 p.m., according to Allen.