Osage Beach police officer and mother of six died in car chase Saturday

An Osage Beach Police Officer died in a fiery wreck Saturday after a car chase, police said.

At 1:18 a.m., an Osage Beach officer saw a car speeding westbound on US-54 highway near Passover Road. After a traffic stop was initiated, the driver accelerated and was pursued onto Route Y then Midway Road and onto A Road, according to an Osage Police Department news release.

Nearly 20 minutes later, Camden County Sheriffs located a Osage Beach vehicle driven by Officer Phylicia Carson crashed and on fire.

Carson who had worked with the department since June 2023 was the second officer to pursue the driver, the release said. Around 1:42 a.m., the driver being pursued was also found crashed on A Road near Canerie Lane and was taken into custody. No charges have been announced.

The crash and criminal investigation is being handled by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Carson leaves behind her husband and six children.