5 People Are Killed in Weather-Related Crashes as Snow Buries Parts of the Midwest

(BONNE TERRE, Mo.) — At least five people have died in weather-related crashes in Missouri and Kansas amid a storm that dumped nearly a foot of snow in places, forced schools to close their doors and snarled traffic, authorities said.

The wintry weather was part of a storm system that hit parts of the Midwest and was expected to extend into the Northeast through Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

In Missouri, the storm dumped from 3 to 9 inches (7.6 to 22.9 centimeters) of snow across a large swath of the state. Much of Missouri was under either a winter weather advisory or winter storm warning Monday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said three people were killed Sunday night when a driver lost control and overturned on U.S. 67 in St. Francois County in the eastern part of the state. A motorist who was stranded after a previous crash and two Good Samaritans who were trying to help were struck.

And in mid-Missouri’s Callaway County, an 18-year-old was killed when his vehicle went off the side of Missouri 94 and overturned.

The patrol also said in a tweet Sunday night that it had responded to 525 calls from stranded motorists and to nearly 560 other traffic crashes. The University of Missouri was starting classes late Monday because of the storm.

In Kansas, the storm brought up to 11 inches (27.9 centimeters) of snow. The Kansas Department of Transportation said multiple roads are partially or completely snow covered. A 21-year-old man died Sunday when a pickup truck in which he was riding overturned on an icy Wichita road.