Hollister, MO (August 24, 2026) – A woman was killed, and four others were injured after a wrong-way crash on Highway 65 in Hollister on Saturday afternoon. The two-vehicle crash happened near the M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport shortly before 4 p.m. on August 22.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 69-year-old Branson woman was driving a Chevy HHR north in the southbound passing lane. Her vehicle collided head-on with an SUV. The woman driving the HHR was pronounced dead at the scene. The SUV was driven by a 34-year-old Hollister man, who suffered serious injuries.
A 35-year-old Hollister woman riding in the SUV also sustained serious injuries. A 10-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, both from Hollister, suffered minor injuries. Ambulances took all four SUV occupants to a nearby hospital. The incident remains under investigation.
We extend our sincere condolences to the family of the woman who died.
What Makes Wrong-Way Crashes Especially Dangerous?
Wrong-way crashes can result in severe impacts because vehicles may approach each other at highway speeds with little time to react. A vehicle traveling against traffic can create a head-on impact, which may cause serious or fatal injuries to people inside both vehicles.
Several factors can contribute to a vehicle entering the wrong side of a roadway. Confusion about highway entrances and exits, poor visibility, unfamiliar roads, and impaired driving can be among the factors examined after an incident. Drivers may also have difficulty recognizing that another vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction until it is very close.
Seatbelts protect by helping keep occupants secured during a sudden impact. Children also require age- and size-appropriate restraints. On divided highways, paying attention to lane markings, signs, and traffic direction can help reduce the risk of entering an opposing travel lane.
