Head-on crash with driver in wrong lanes kills 1, injures 2 in Independence
One person was killed, and two others were injured when a minivan and a small pickup truck collided head-on shortly after Wednesday evening’s rush hour in Independence, a police spokesman said.
The crash occurred about 5:45 p.m. north of the intersection of South Noland Road and 35th Street, said Sgt. Jeff Buck with the Independence Police Department’s traffic safety unit.
A preliminary investigation found that a 2003 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was headed north on Noland Road when it crossed over the center of the road into the southbound lanes and struck a 2025 Ford Maverick pickup truck head-on, Buck said. The two vehicles came to rest, blocking the southbound lanes of Noland Road near Truman High School.
The driver of the minivan was pronounced dead on the scene. Two occupants from the pickup were taken to hospitals with serious injuries.
Noland Road was closed for several hours while police investigated the crash. It reopened about 9:30 p.m., Buck said. The crash remains under investigation.
This story was originally published March 5, 2026 at 9:10 AM.
