Region briefs 4/5

Car-truck crash claims life of Cardwell woman

PARAGOULD, Ark. -- A car-truck collision on U.S. 412 near Paragould and the Arkansas state line Wednesday morning claimed the life of a Missouri woman.

The Arkansas State Police said Patricia Dunigan, 47, of Cardwell, Mo., was airlifted from the crash site to St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark., where she was pronounced dead.

Trooper Tony Roe said the crash evidently occurred when Dunigan, who was westbound, apparently lost control of her car while crossing the Big Slough Bridge. Her car ran onto the shoulder, and Dunigan apparently overcorrected putting her vehicle into a spin across the centerline and crashing into an eastbound tractor-trailer truck driven by Larry Poe, 58, of Kennett, Mo.

Roe said Poe locked his brakes and attempted to miss the Dunigan vehicle. Poe was not injured.

School Nurse of Year from Twin Rivers district

Sheri Farmer, a registered nurse and the school health coordinator for the Twin Rivers School District, was honored recently by the Missouri Association of School Nurses for what she does at Twin Rivers. She was selected School Nurse of the Year for the Southeastern District.

Dan Vandiver, high school principal, nominated Farmer for the honor.

In his nominating letter, Vandiver wrote that students "view her as a friend and trusted confidant with whom delicate issues can be safely discussed."

Farmer went to work at Twin Rivers in 1989 when this year's graduating seniors started kindergarten.

When she came to the school, she was the only nurse in the district. A few years later, she wrote a school health grant that has enabled the district to expand its health services.

Mother from Arkansas cops plea in son's death

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- With her trial approaching, a Corning, Ark., woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the fatal accident that killed her son.

In an appearance before Butler County Circuit Judge W. Robert Cope, Ova Conway pleaded guilty to the manslaughter charge, said Kevin Barbour, Butler County prosecuting attorney.

Conway, 31, was facing the manslaughter charge, as well as two counts of second-degree assault. She was to go to trial April 11.

The charges stem from a Nov. 24, 2000, accident on U.S. 67 near the Arkansas state line that killed her 2-year-old son and left her two other children injured.

She was accused of criminal negligence by driving her vehicle under the influence of alcohol and causing the accident.

Man accused of murder held on drug charges

KENNETT, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man, free on bond on a murder charge in Butler County, remained in the Dunklin County Jail after being charged with drug trafficking charges.

Milton Roy Taylor Jr., 34, is to appear at 1 p.m. April 23 for a preliminary hearing on a second-degree trafficking charge before Associate Circuit Judge Dan J. Crawford.

Taylor was arrested March 22 on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and on a Dunklin County warrant for nonpayment of fines following a traffic stop, said Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder.

Taylor is accused of having a mixture containing a cocaine base, Holder said.

In Butler County, Taylor is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Charles "Gene" Kinney in November 2000. Kinney's body was found in the charred remains of his home.

Taylor is to stand trial on the murder charge in November.

Taylor's alleged accomplice, Michael Todd Estes, 34, pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder and has been sentenced to life in prison.

-- From Southeast Missouri News Service