WOMAN DIES WHILE DRIVING, THREE INJURED IN SEPARATE ACCIDENTS

A Southeast Missouri woman died while driving and three people were injured in separate accidents Saturday.

Maurice Smith, 63, of Fredericktown ran her vehicle off the road and into a fence and two trees after having a heart attack about three miles southeast of Marquand. The accident happened at 7:20 a.m. Saturday.

Smith's body was taken to Follis and Sons Funeral Home in Fredericktown. The Madison County Coroner confirmed that the accident happened after she had a heart attack.

Three Kewanee residents were injured in an accident east of Matthews Saturday evening. Tracy L. Edsall, 31, and Zeth Edsall, 10, were seriously injured in the accident.

Tracy Edsall was taken by helicopter to Southeast Missouri Hospital. Zeth Edsall was taken to Missouri Delta Medical in Sikeston. Izaiah Hopper, 2 months, also received minor injuries. He was treated at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

The accident happened about a mile east of Matthews on U.S. 61 as a vehicle driven by Ruth Cropsey of Paducah, Ky., pulled into the path of a vehicle driven by Tracy Edsall. Cropsey's vehicle hit Edsall's car in the passenger side. The vehicle then ran into a ditch.