JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. – Two women from Dittmer, Missouri, died late Monday afternoon after being ejected in a car crash near Highway 141 and Gravois.
The crash occurred just after 6 p.m. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the driver as Nancy Callway, 64, who died at the scene, and the passenger as Lindsay Matney, 42, who later died at a hospital.
“For some reason and unknown at this point in time, the vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway,” Cpl. Dallas Thompson, Missouri State Highway Patrol, said. “After exiting the roadway, it overturned and ejected both occupants.”
Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the crash. It’s still unclear if the two were related.
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“No matter what age people are, we don’t ever want to see someone lose their life, especially in a traffic crash,” Thompson said. “So, yeah, it’s always a tragedy for the community that they hear from for their families and everybody, coworkers.
Authorities said both victims were not wearing seat belts.
“Well, we know seatbelts save lives. The reason for the seat belt that keeps you sitting inside that vehicle, you know, if you’re ever involved in a crash, you want to be able to remain inside the vehicle,” Thompson said. “So, if you get ejected from the vehicle, the likelihood of being seriously injured or killed raises a lot. But just being able to stay inside that vehicle will increase your ability to survive.”
