Rita Greene
McDonald County Press [email protected]
Rachael N. Staib, 16, from Goodman and a student at McDonald County High School, was the victim of a fatal accident Friday, Aug. 21 at B71 and Patterson in Anderson.
Staib was airlifted to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin after the accident, where Dr. Curtis Cox was the attending physician. Staib's death was confirmed at 4:25 p.m.
Other occupants in Staib's vehicle who survived and have been released from Freeman Hospital West were her siblings Hailey Staib, 11, and Nathaniel Staib, 6. Trevor D. Pulliam, 19, was transported and released from Freeman. Drivers and occupants of the other vehicles involved, Javier A. Gonzalez, Amanda J. Hughes, and Peggy J. Wooden, were not transported to the hospital after the accident.
The Missouri Highway Patrol reported that Staib, driving a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero eastbound on Patterson, made a right turn onto Business 71 into the path of a 2013 Volvo driven southbound by Javier A. Gonzalez, 46, of Houston. Gonzalez tried to avoid the collision by swerving into the northbound lane, where he collided with a 2005 Ford Escape driven by Amanda J. Hughes, 31, of Goodman, and a 2005 Honda CRV driving by Peggy J. Wooden, 67, of Anderson.
The Highway Patrol reported Rachael and Hailey Staib were not wearing seat belts. Nathanial Staib, Gonzalez, Hughes and Wooden were wearing seat belts. It was unknown whether Pulliam was wearing a seat belt.
Greg Leach, principal of McDonald County High School, said counselors are available at the school to assist students in coping with this tragedy.
Staib's obituary is in today's McDonald County Press
Community on 08/27/2015