Wreck near Oran leaves two teenagers dead, four others in serious condition

ORAN, Mo. -- An early morning wreck near Oran left two teenagers dead and four others injured, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The accident occurred around 5:30 a.m. Sunday on Scott County Road 261, two miles north of Oran, when a Ford F150 truck traveling at high speed in the northbound lane overturned and ran off the roadway.

Five of the six occupants were thrown from the truck. Alexis M. Cummins, 14, and Austin D. Todt, 16, both of Oran, were pronounced dead at the scene by Scott County Coroner Scott Amick.

Ryan M. Trankler, 16, of Oran was taken by air lift to Saint Francis Medical Center.

The other passengers -- Timothy W. Abner, 19, of Marble Hill, Mo., and Brandon L. Phillips, 18, and Brent A. Phillips, 16, both of Oran -- were transported by ambulance to Saint Francis.

Their injuries were described as serious, according to law enforcement.

A male passenger who was not thrown from the vehicle was able to get out and walk to a nearby house for help, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said.

The highway patrol is still investigating what caused the wreck, but speed is believed to have been a major factor, according to law enforcement.

Oran High School students gathered at the school, out for the summer, along with teachers, counselors, and community members Sunday afternoon for those wanting to talk about their loss.

"We're trying to do what we can," Oran superintendent Mitch Wood said.

About 150 students visited the school at some point on Sunday afternoon, along with many faculty members and counselors from other schools in the area, Wood said.

"We're just trying to get them through and let them know we're there," Wood said.

Wood said he has coached some of the students involved in the wreck, and taught others.

"Everybody knows them real well, and knows their families real well," he said.

Todt was the son of one of the secretaries at Oran High school, Wood said.

Walter said he knew all the Oran teens and their families, as did many of the officers, dispatchers, and paramedics who assisted with the accident.

"It really makes it kinda tough," Walter said.

Walter said he will meet with several clergy and the public safety personnel who worked the crash on Monday to discuss grief counseling.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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