Two area residents lost their lives after a three-vehicle collision occurred on U.S. Route 50 west of Otterville on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

The crash occurred around 7:30 a.m., when according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a sedan driven by an 18-year-old man from Sedalia struck the back of another sedan in the eastbound lane of Route 50 near the intersection with Old 50, just inside the northwestern corner of Morgan County. The collision sent the second sedan into the westbound lane, where it ran into the front of a westbound vehicle driven by a 38-year-old man from Russellville.

The Russellville driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger in the second vehicle, a 45-year-old man from Versailles, was flown to a Columbia hospital, where he died from his injuries later in the morning. The 48-year-old driver of the second sedan, a Cole Camp woman, was also flown to Columbia with serious injuries. Troopers say the three had not been wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported for the Sedalia driver, who troopers say was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.