Highway Patrol Reports Incident Statistics

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports eight traffic fatalities, zero boating fatalities, and four drownings over the July 4th holiday counting period. The Highway Patrol keeps statistics for the holiday starting at 6 pm Friday, June 30, through 11:59 pm, Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

Troopers worked 390 traffic crashes, which included 152 injuries and seven of the eight fatalities. The Kansas City Police Department worked the remaining fatality. Troopers also made 116 DWI arrests and 21 drug arrests over the holiday weekend.

During the 2022 counting period, 11 people were killed and 449 injured statewide in Missouri over the holiday in 1,069 traffic crashes. Troopers arrested 146 people for driving while intoxicated last year.

Over the 2022 July Fourth holiday, there were nine boating crashes, which included five injuries and no fatalities. One person drowned during last year's July Fourth holiday. Troopers made 13 BWI arrests during the 2022 counting period.

This year, Troopers worked six boating crashes, which included two injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made 10 boating while intoxicated arrests. Four people drowned over the holiday weekend including one person at Smithville Lake.

Carlos Antonio, 22, of St. Joseph, MO, drowned when he was swimming near Little Platte Swim Beach. Antonio walked off a ledge in the water, and never resurfaced. He was not wearing a life jacket.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story