Columbia, Missouri – July 15, 2011
A sport-utility vehicle hit two men on the side of Interstate 70 Thursday evening killing both men.
The Columbia Police Department reports, two vans pulled onto the shoulder of Interstate 70. One van was driven by 73-year-old Auxvasse resident Gilbert L. Love. The other van was driven by 72-year-old Prairie Home resident Edward Taggart. The men had stopped to put gas into one of the vans when they were struck by a sport-utility vehicle.
Mr. Love was declared dead at the scene. Mr. Taggart was taken to a hospital in Columbia where he later died.
The driver of the sport-utility vehicle mentioned cell phone use in a statement to the Columbia Police Department. Columbia Police believe alcohol may have been a contributing factor as well.
The exact location of this accident has not been released.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that alcohol was involved in 7,232 reported crashes in 2009.
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