LICKING, MO — Licking High School is grieving the death of one of its sophomores after a rollover crash in Dent County on Sunday evening. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said a 15-year-old girl from Licking died after being partially ejected from a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado that overturned on Highway VV.

Investigators said the pickup was traveling east about a mile west of County Road 6620 when the 16-year-old driver lost control on the wet roadway. After overcorrecting, the truck left the left side of the highway and overturned around 6:40 p.m. The passenger was pronounced dead at 7:35 p.m.

Missouri State Highway Patrol details how the truck left the roadway

Troopers said the wet pavement played a role in the crash sequence. According to the highway patrol, the driver lost control before correcting in a way that sent the Silverado off the highway and into an overturn.

The crash happened on Highway VV in rural Dent County, a stretch of road not far from County Road 6620. The patrol said the vehicle was a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado. The teenager behind the wheel was 16 years old.

Officials have not said whether any other vehicles were involved. The crash report focused on the loss of control, the overcorrection and the vehicle overturning on the slick road.

Passenger was partially ejected and later pronounced dead

The 15-year-old passenger suffered fatal injuries in the wreck, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Troopers said she was partially ejected from the vehicle during the crash.

Authorities also said she was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. She was pronounced deceased at 7:35 p.m., about an hour after the Silverado overturned.

Her death has brought the crash from a traffic incident into a devastating loss for the Licking community, where she was a student at the local high school.

Licking R-8 School District shares condolences after the loss

The Licking R-8 School District said it learned of the student’s death Saturday night in a statement that described the news as heartbreaking. District leaders said they were deeply saddened by the loss and extended condolences to the girl’s family.

The district identified the student as one of its high school sophomores. While the school did not release additional personal details, it asked the community to keep the family, friends and classmates in their thoughts and prayers.

The statement reflected the shock felt by the district after an unexpected death involving one of its students.

Counselors and pastors available to support students and staff

In response to the tragedy, the district said counselors and pastors would be available for students and staff who need support. The offer is intended to help people process the sudden loss and the grief that can follow a fatal crash involving a classmate.

School leaders did not announce a schedule for any special memorials or public events. Instead, the district emphasized support services and asked the community to continue remembering the student’s family, friends and classmates in the days ahead.

The response underscores how a fatal crash outside of school hours can still ripple quickly through a district, leaving teachers, students and families facing the aftermath together.

Wet roads and seat belt use remain key safety concerns

The crash highlights two recurring dangers in teen traffic fatalities: slick roads and failing to use a seat belt. In this case, the highway patrol said the roadway was wet and the passenger was not restrained when the truck overturned.

Authorities did not release any additional details about speed, road conditions beyond the wet pavement, or whether weather contributed further to the wreck. The investigation appears focused on the sequence that led the Silverado off the highway and onto its side.

For the Licking community, the details now sit alongside the broader reality of a young life lost in a rural crash that happened in a matter of moments.