BOONE COUNTY, MO — A collision with a deer on U.S. Route 40 turned deadly in Boone County after the animal was thrown into the path of an oncoming vehicle, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
State troopers say the deer was struck Thursday evening and then hit the windshield of another vehicle traveling the opposite direction. The 40-year-old driver from Glasgow, Missouri, died at the scene after the crash.
The other driver, a 75-year-old man from Clark, Missouri, was behind the wheel of the vehicle that first hit the deer. Investigators say the impact set off a chain reaction that sent the animal into westbound traffic.
Crash happened on U.S. Route 40 near Shady Hills Lane
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the wreck happened around 6 p.m. Thursday on U.S. Route 40 near Shady Hills Lane in mid-Missouri. The roadway runs through a rural stretch of Boone County where deer collisions can pose a serious hazard, especially at dusk.
According to the crash report, the 75-year-old driver was traveling east when the vehicle struck the deer. The 40-year-old man was heading west in the opposite lane at the same time.
After the deer was thrown into the westbound lane, it went through the windshield of the second vehicle. That car then left the roadway and hit a tree, adding to the severity of the crash.
State patrol says the westbound driver died at the scene
Authorities said the 40-year-old man was pronounced dead where the crash occurred. No other injuries were mentioned in the Missouri State Highway Patrol account of the collision.
The crash report identifies the dead driver as being from Glasgow, Missouri. The patrol identified the eastbound driver as a 75-year-old man from Clark, Missouri.
The highway patrol has not released additional details about whether either driver was injured beyond the fatal crash, and it has not said whether charges or citations are being considered.
How a deer collision escalated into a fatal wreck
Deer strikes are common enough on Missouri highways that drivers are often warned to stay alert around dawn, dusk and other low-light periods. This crash shows how quickly a wildlife collision can turn into a much more dangerous roadway event for nearby traffic.
In this case, the first impact did not end with the animal in one lane. Instead, the deer crossed into the opposite direction of travel and became part of a second collision that involved the windshield and the roadway itself.
Officials have not said whether either vehicle was speeding or whether visibility played a role. The crash report instead focuses on the sequence of events that left one driver dead and the other driver under investigation.
Troop F is investigating the Boone County collision
Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F is handling the investigation in mid-Missouri. Troopers will determine the full chain of events and document how the deer, the two vehicles and the roadway contributed to the fatal outcome.
For now, the patrol’s account makes clear that the crash involved two drivers traveling in opposite directions on the same stretch of highway. One vehicle struck a deer, and the animal was thrown directly into the path of the other.
That sequence ended with the westbound vehicle leaving the road and striking a tree. The fatality was confirmed at the scene, and the investigation remains open.
A reminder for drivers on rural Missouri roads
The Boone County crash underscores the danger of deer-related wrecks on divided and undivided highways alike. Even when a driver does not directly hit another car, a wildlife strike can create unpredictable hazards for traffic in both directions.
Drivers in Missouri and other states often encounter deer in rural areas, especially during periods when visibility is limited. Staying alert, slowing down when deer are present and avoiding sudden maneuvers can reduce risk, though no precaution can eliminate it entirely.
In this case, a single deer strike set off a fatal chain of events that ended with one man dead and another crash still being reviewed by investigators.
