Local lawmakers pull driver from car wreck

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Two Southeast Missouri lawmakers came to the aid of a woman trapped in an overturned car on this week.

Republican state Reps. Pat Naeger of Perryville and Rod Jetton of Marble Hill were returning to the state Capitol from dinner around 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday when Jetton caught a glimpse of something that piqued his interest.

"I saw what looked like an overturned vehicle across the parking lot over by the railroad tracks," Jetton said. "Since it was dark, we had to take a closer look, and sure enough, it turned out to be an overturned car."

The lawmakers discovered Karen A. Case, 47, of New Bloomfield, Mo., trapped in the vehicle, which was sitting on the driver's side. Naeger said the car's airbag had deployed and Case was wearing her seatbelt.

They called 911 but made the decision to remove her before rescue units arrived.

Naeger, who was a paramedic for 10 years, said that under most circumstances injured people should not be moved until the extent of physical damage is determined and they are immobilized, but in this case it was appropriate.

"Quite frankly, we wanted to get her out," Naeger said. "She was right by the railroad tracks, there was oil and fluid everywhere and the engine was smoking."

According to the Jefferson City Police Department report on the accident, Case suffered only minor injuries.

Case's car landed on a private drive off of the main roadway. Naeger said it was just blind luck that Jetton noticed the car's lights.

"Otherwise, she might have been there a while," Naeger said.

The police report lists alcohol as a probable contributing factor to accident. As of Friday, Case, who couldn't be reached for comment, had not been charged with any crime.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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