A fourth person died from injuries sustained in a multi-fatality vehicle accident that occurred earlier this month on Interstate 29 near Platte City.
John Klapp, 71, from Correctionville, Iowa was pronounced dead Wednesday, May 17 at the North Kansas City Hospital, according to reports. He was not wearing his safety device at the time of the crash, which he allegedly caused.
The accident occurred on Friday, May 12 just north of Highway 92.
According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, vehicles were slowed at the site of the crash due to a Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) striping project. James Wilson, 54, and Lisa Wilson, 44, of Effingham, Kan. and Carol Wehking, 75, of Lancaster, Kan. were pronounced dead at the scene after the crash occurred at 12:24 p.m.
All three victims were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident in a 2004 GMC Envoy.
MoDOT had the left lane of southbound I-29 closed to paint the recently resurfaced area. According to the crash report, the victims’ 2004 GMC Envoy and a 1979 Kenworth truck were stopped in the right lane on southbound I-29 due the crew ahead of them.
Klapp’s 2002 Dodge Ram was also traveling south on I-29 at full highway speed and struck the Envoy, pushing it into the rear of the Kenworth truck, causing the semi to drift into the left lane and strike a 2004 Ford Econoline van.
The Envoy overturned and came to rest in a crumpled condition on the right shoulder of I-29 on its top. The Dodge Ram traveled off the right side of the road into the grass and came to rest on its wheels.
The other two vehicles remained under control of the drivers and were able to pull over to the shoulder.
Rescue workers arrived on scene and had to take off the doors of the Dodge Ram to remove the driver, Klapp. He suffered serious injuries, and his passenger Christopher Klapp, 40, suffered minor injuries.
Both were transported to an area hospital for treatment with John Klapp later dying as a result of the injuries.
Troop A of the Missouri Highway Patrol closed southbound I-29 and began to divert traffic onto Highway 371 and through Platte City on Highway 92, which quickly backed up to Tracy. The Interstate remained closed until just before 2 p.m.