Six people were injured Thursday evening in a four-vehicle crash in Phelps County.
The crash happened around 5:04 p.m. on July 17, 2026, on Highway 63 at Virgil Faulkner Drive. A 2026 Chevrolet 1500 crossed the center of the roadway and struck the side of a 2022 Freightliner Cascadia. The Chevrolet then struck a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and a 2015 Kia Optima.
A 7-year-old passenger in the Chevrolet suffered serious injuries. A 10-year-old passenger and the 16-year-old driver of the Chevrolet suffered moderate injuries.
The driver of the Kia also suffered serious injuries. The driver of the Malibu suffered minor injuries, and a passenger in the Malibu suffered moderate injuries. All injured parties were taken by EMS for medical treatment.
The Chevrolet, Malibu, and Kia were totaled. The Freightliner sustained moderate damage. All four vehicles were towed from the scene.
Center-line crashes can be especially dangerous because they place vehicles directly into opposing traffic. Drivers traveling in their own lane may have little time to react when another vehicle suddenly crosses into their path. When that vehicle continues on to strike multiple others, the danger expands from one impact into a chain of harm affecting several people.
This crash is especially troubling because children were among those injured. A driver’s failure to maintain control can put passengers, nearby motorists, and families in immediate danger. Crossing the center of the roadway is not a small driving mistake when it results in multiple vehicles being hit and six people being injured.
Drivers have a responsibility to stay in their lane, remain alert, and keep control of their vehicles at all times. Conduct that sends a vehicle across the center line and into multiple others can create catastrophic consequences in seconds. That kind of roadway behavior should be taken seriously and addressed under the law.
