A fatal collision occurred on July 9, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. on Highway 50 at Route E in Moniteau County, resulting in one death and one serious injury, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The crash involved a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan, driven by Michael S. Burke, a 66-year-old man from Janesville, Wisconsin, and a 2014 Ford F150, driven by Heather M. Beauchamp, a 34-year-old woman from Tipton, Missouri.
The accident happened when Burke’s Dodge Grand Caravan traveled off Route E into the path of Beauchamp’s Ford F150. The collision caused both vehicles to be totaled and they were towed from the scene by Leepers.
Burke was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Brad Friedmeyer at 8:45 p.m. His body was transported by Windmill Ridge Funeral Home.
Beauchamp, who was wearing a seat belt, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to University Hospital by MU Air.
This incident marks the second fatality for Troop F in July and the 22nd for the year 2024. The Moniteau County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Missouri State Highway Patrol at the scene, along with Corporal C. R. Mistler, Corporal B. J. Blankenbeker, and Corporal J. C. McKinney.