MSHP: Three deadly crashes at busy Boone County interchange since 2017

Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Town and Country), right, introduces U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) to the full House in Jefferson City on May 1, 2023 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Missouri state troopers say there have been three fatal traffic crashes at the Highway 63 and 124 interchange in northern Boone County in the past six years. One of them happened in late April.

939 the Eagle News obtained the crash information in a records request from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Several listeners have described that interchange as dangerous, with line-of-sight, speed and other issues. U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio), who chairs the House Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill, tells 939 the Eagle that while it’s more of a state than federal issue, he’s concerned about 63 and 124, which is just south of his district.


“I know that the state is looking into and I think the University of Missouri is doing some studies as well, how to make intersections like that (63 and 124) safer, so that people don’t have to worry or get into terrible accidents like what we just recently saw,” Congressman Graves says.

Missouri state troopers say 79-year-old Joan Broxton was killed in the April 25 collision. The Patrol’s crash report says Ms. Broxton tried to enter a median J-turn and traveled into the path of a second vehicle, which struck Broxton’s driver side.

Congressman Graves hopes Mizzou can come up with solutions. His district includes Moberly, Mexico and Higbee.

“Hopefully they’re going to be alleviate the problem in that specific one (intersection) and then others around the state once they figure out what a good solution is,” says Graves.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says there have been three fatal crashes at 63 and 124 since 2017: one in 2017, one in 2021 and the April incident which killed Ms. Broxton.