Weekend car accident claims life of Puxico man

PUXICO, Mo. -- A Puxico man who was a passenger in a vehicle that crashed on Highway 51 Friday night was pronounced dead at the scene by Stoddard County Coroner Morgan Sifford.

Tommie J. Bates, 54, was killed in the wreck. The vehicle's driver, 22-year-old Nickolas J. Jackson of Zalma, Mo., sustained moderate injuries. He was transported by ambulance to a Cape Girardeau hospital.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred after Jackson lost control of his vehicle as he was southbound about one mile north of Puxico around 9:15 p.m. Friday. He reportedly ran off the left side of the road and struck a tree. Neither of the two men was wearing a seat belt, the patrol reported.

Debris from the crash struck two vehicles traveling Highway 51 at the time of the wreck. Injury to occupants of those vehicles was not reported.

Bates' death is the 22nd fatality for Troop E in 2009.