Major accident but only minor injuries for area driver

A woman from Carthage was lucky to escape with only minor injuries around 8:15 Saturday morning when she reportedly suffered a medical emergency while driving.

The Missouri Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred when 41-year-old Margaret M. Smith was going westbound on Fairview Road about a mile west of Carthage.

But when the road came to an end at a T, Smith failed to stop, went off a berm and traveled a reported 80 feet before hitting the ground and eventually coming to a stop.

She was wearing a safety device and her airbags deployed.

She was transported by air to a Joplin hospital but, amazingly, suffered only minor injuries.