Illinois man killed; Sikeston residents seriously injured

A Decatur, Ill., man was killed in an accident in Bollinger County Monday, and five Sikeston residents sustained serious injuries in a New Madrid County accident that occurred Sunday.

Wayne Sandelin, 39, of Decatur was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Jessie Bell, 24, of Cobden, Ill. Bell sustained minor injuries in the 4 a.m. accident at the Highway 51/72 junction in Patton, Mo.

The accident occurred when Bell's vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and pulled into the path of a truck driven by Robert Capone, 33, of Fredericktown, Mo. The truck struck the Sandelin vehicle on the passenger side. Sandelin was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other collision occurred on U.S. 60, one mile west of Morehouse at 11:40 a.m. Sunday. Sustaining serious injuries were: Paula Starnes, 31, taken to Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston; Deandre Starnes, 4, taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau; Calab Starnes, 6, taken to St. Francis Medical Center; Dyshauna Starnes, 4, taken to Missouri Delta Medical Center; and Odell Thompson, 11, taken to Missouri Delta Medical Center. Kayona Crenshaw 12, of Sikeston sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Missouri Delta Medical Center.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when the vehicle driven by Paula Starnes attempted to make a left turn from the driving lane and turned into the path of a westbound vehicle driven in the passing lane by Florence Shaw, 42, of Sikeston. Shaw was not injured.