Today's News - June 13, 2010

Paraglider Critically Injured When Collides With Truck

Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Don Sutter, second from right, sifts through the parachute to find any personal items belonging to the aero-glider injured in Sunday morning’s accident.

A St. Louis man attempting to take-off using a paraglider was critically injured just before noon on Sunday on the north end of Columbia. The man, whose name has not yet been identified, had parked this morning next to a beekeeper’s hut just south of the River Lakes Golf Course on Ramsey Road.

The man, believed to be about 40-years-old, strapped on a harness holding a motorized fan on his back with a parachute attached trailing behind. He started jogging along an open grass area to gain momentum to take off, but he appeared to be having trouble gaining altitude, per witness Charles Boehme of St. Louis who was playing golf. The man stumbled a couple times and never became airborne - while at the same time he was heading directly toward Ramsey Road, a country road next to the golf course.

Driving an older model Ford pickup along Ramsey Road was a Roy Kellig of Columbia, who lives nearby. He saw the man having trouble getting airborne and heading toward his truck. Kellig swerved to avoid a collision, but the paraglider hit with the back end, driver's side, of the truck. The man came to rest in a ditch along Ramsey Road next to one of Mel Stuckmeyer’s cabbage patches, about 100 yards from where the paraglider had initially attempted to take off.  

Kellig and several witnesses rushed to the injured man and unhooked him from the harness. He had a severe injury to his head, was bleeding severely from his wounds and showed no signs of consciousness, according to the witnesses. The man was transported by ambulance to St. Anthony's Hospital with critical injuries. An official with the Federal Aviation Association located at Scott Air Force Base was called to the scene and has began an investigation.

Columbia Police Officer Bill Lowe, left, interviews Roy Kellig following the collision with the paraglider. The impact caused a large dent in the rear of the truck.

No Injuries In Two-Vehicle Accident In Columbia

A Pontiac Grand Am and a Chevy HHR collided just before noon Sunday at the intersection of Palmer Road and the exit ramp from northbound Route 3. No injuries were reported. The names of the drivers has not yet been released.

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Courtney Hunter was the big winner of the wagon of booze at the SPPS Summer Picnic. She has not reported whether or not she will be sharing her bounty with her co-workers at the Monroe County Independent.