Scott County crash claims life of Notre Dame junior

A Notre Dame Regional High School junior was killed in a single-vehicle wreck Sunday.

Abigail Jansen, 17, of Kelso, Missouri, was the sole occupant of a 2010 Toyota Camry that went off the side of the road and struck a tree at 12:18 p.m. on southbound Interstate 55 near the 88-mile marker in Scott County, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The Patrol’s Troop E report stated no safety equipment was used at the time of the incident and the driver was ejected from the vehicle.

Jansen, who was described as a “year-round swimmer” by Notre Dame athletic director Jeff Graviett, was pronounced dead at the scene by Scott County Coroner Scott Amick.

“(Abigail) was a great kid from a great family,” Graviett said, “and she always had a smile on her face,” adding both of Jansen’s parents also had attended Notre Dame.

Notre Dame principal Tim Garner said the school held a prayer service in Abigail’s memory Sunday evening.

Jansen swam on the Bulldogs’ swim team with her twin sister, Lexi.

Jansen represented Notre Dame at the 2020 MSHSAA Class 1 Swim State Finals in February.

She placed 30th in the 500 free and was a member of the 200 free relay squad that placed 22nd overall.