Fatal accident on Interstate 44 west of Rolla

Two people from St. Louis were killed Monday morning in a crash that occurred on Interstate 44 west of Rolla.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), Jama A. Ali, 28, and Liban Dirie, 41, both of St. Louis died in the crash, which involved a Ford Mustang and a tractor trailer.

Phelps County Deputy Coroner Lenox Jones pronounced them dead at the scene shortly before 9 a.m.

The crash occurred around 8:35 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-44 about eight miles west of Rolla between exit 176 at Sugar Tree Road and a truck parking rest stop.

According to the patrol, the 2002 Ford Mustang driven by Ali ran off the left side of the road, returned to the road and then struck the rear of the 1999 Peterbilt tractor trailer driven by Kenneth P. Carroll, 51, of West Plains. Carroll reported no injuries, the patrol stated.

The Mustang was totaled. There was no damage reported to the tractor trailer.

Westbound traffic in the area was reduced to one lane as emergency officials responded. All lanes were reopened around 1:45 p.m.

Including this accident, there have been a total of 30 fatalities in Troop I of the MSHP, which covers Crawford, Dent, Laclede, Maries, Phelps and Pulaski counties.

Last year at this same time, there had been 20 fatal crashes in the same Troop I area.