Three from Joplin seriously injured in Saturday accident on I-44

Three people suffered serious injuries in an accident in the eastbound lane of I-44, about three miles west of Mt. Vernon around 12:42 Saturday afternoon.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says an eastbound 2017 Ram 1500 driven by 45-year-old Dustin L. Guthrie of Joplin drove off the left side of the roadway into the median. The truck then went down an embankment into a creek bed.

Guthrie, passenger 41-year-old Ashley E. Wise of Joplin and a 16-year-old girl from Joplin in the vehicle were all seriously injured. Wise was life-flighted to Mercy Springfield. Guthrie was taken to Mercy Springfield by ambulance.

The juvenile was transported to Cox South hospital in Springfield.