DENT COUNTY, MO — A 15-year-old girl from Licking was killed Sunday evening when a Chevrolet Silverado overturned on Highway VV in Dent County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The crash happened about a half-mile west of County Road 6620 at around 6:40 p.m. The pickup was traveling east when it lost control on the wet roadway, overcorrected, left the left side of the road and rolled over.
Authorities said the girl was partially ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:35 p.m.
Wet pavement and overcorrection preceded the rollover
The Highway Patrol said the truck was a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 16-year-old boy from Licking. Investigators determined the vehicle lost traction on the slick road before the driver overcorrected, which sent the pickup off the roadway.
The crash sequence ended with the Silverado overturning. The patrol did not report any other vehicles being involved, and it described the incident as a single-vehicle crash.
Officials have not said whether speed, distraction or another factor played a role beyond the wet pavement and loss of control described in the initial findings.
Passenger was not buckled while driver wore a seat belt
According to the Highway Patrol, the 15-year-old passenger was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The 16-year-old driver was buckled in.
That difference mattered in the violent rollover, with the patrol noting that the passenger was partially ejected from the pickup. She died at the scene as emergency personnel responded.
The crash details underscore the risks of rollovers, especially when a vehicle leaves the roadway on a wet surface. The patrol’s account specifically identified seat-belt use for both teenagers.
Whitaker’s Towing removed the damaged pickup from the scene
The Chevrolet Silverado suffered moderate damage and was towed away by Whitaker’s Towing after the crash. The pickup remained at the scene while investigators examined the wreckage and the roadway conditions.
No additional injuries were reported in the patrol’s summary. The agency identified the event as a single fatal crash involving one vehicle and two teenagers from Licking.
Troopers and county officials worked at the scene after the rollover, documenting the wreck and the circumstances that led to the fatal outcome.
Troop I records the first November traffic death of 2026
The deadly rollover was the first traffic fatality in November and the 37th traffic death of 2026 for Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop I.
That toll places the crash within a broader yearlong count that troopers track across the region they patrol. The Dent County wreck added another fatality to that total at the start of the month.
Traffic deaths in rural areas often involve roadway conditions, vehicle control and restraint use, all of which are part of the patrol’s ongoing crash reporting in southwest Missouri.
Corporal J.R. Summers led the investigation with local assistance
Corporal J.R. Summers of the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the crash. He was assisted by Trooper J.S. Leathers and the Dent County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation is part of the normal response after a serious highway crash, with officers documenting the scene, the vehicle path and the condition of the roadway. Officials have not announced any charges or additional findings.
The patrol’s account remains the main public description of how the rollover unfolded and how the teen passenger died.
