Region digest 3/18/03

Cape man injured in interstate wreck

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- A Cape Girardeau man was one of two people who sustained moderate injuries in a collision Monday morning in Ste. Genevieve County.

John Wallace, 24, of Cape Girardeau was taken to Ste. Genevieve Memorial Hospital after the 10:58 a.m. accident. The other driver, Jeanne Beaty, 17, of Louisiana, Mo., also sustained moderate injuries.

The accident occurred on Interstate 55, one-half mile north of Highway 32.

Two passengers in the Wallace vehicle, Kristi Kendall, 23, of Imperial, Mo., and 2-year-old Abbagil Watz of Imperial were taken to the same hospital with minor injuries.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Beaty's vehicle was traveling northbound on I-55 at a slow rate of speed and was struck in the rear by the Wallace vehicle.

Mother, daughter die in fire in Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A home fire caused the death of the wife of a Poplar Bluff policeman and their young daughter Monday morning.

Killed in the fire were Ginger A. McCane, 30, and her 4-year-old daughter, Kalin Michelle.

Officer Steve McCain was the first to respond to the 911 call at 3 a.m. of an explosion and fire on County Road 309, police officials said.

When he got there, it was his house in flames. The Butler County Fire Department and other police officers also responded to the scene.-- From staff, wire reports