The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a three-vehicle crash that killed a man from Republic and seriously injured five other people, including three kids.
Troopers say a vehicle going westbound on the freeway near Farm Road 135 just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday, ran off the roadway, crossed the median and hit a concrete bridge.
That car, carrying the driver and four passengers, collided with a pickup when entering the eastbound lanes of traffic.
The pickup then spun and hit a car driven by Donald Underwood, 72, Republic.
Underwood was pronounced dead at the scene.
A seven-year-old boy, a ten year-old boy, and a 14-year-old girl, all passengers in the first car, were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries, along with an adult passenger and the driver, David Cantrell, 38, Springfield.