Weekend accident sends four to Cape Girardeau hospital

A head-on collision in rural Cape Girardeau County late Saturday sent four people to area hospitals.

Jason K. Lemons, 20, of Advance, Mo., was driving southbound on Highway 25 about four miles south of Delta when his car struck a vehicle driven by Gary Hopewell, 53, of Perryville, Mo., the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.

Lemons was trying to pass a line of several cars when his 1995 Chevrolet struck the northbound 1994 Toyota driven by Hopewell.

Steven B. Morris, 18, of Advance was riding with Lemons and he was taken by helicopter to Saint Francis Medical Center. Lemons and Hopewell, along with Phyllis A. Hopewell, 48, were taken by ground ambulance to Saint Francis. Phyllis Hopewell was riding with Gary Hopewell at the time of the crash.

The patrol reported that Gary Hopewell received moderate injuries. All three of the others received serious injuries, the patrol reported.