Louisiana man taken into custody for fatal Festus crash
FESTUS, Mo. — A man from Louisiana has been taken into custody and is facing charges in relation to the fatal multi-vehicle crash that claimed three lives on I-55 near Festus on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Since the charges, the three victims in the crash, which happened south of Interstate 50, have also now been identified.
The Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victims as:
- Vanessa Knowles, 63, of Memphis, Tennessee
- Donnie Briggs, 66, of Memphis, Tennessee
- Darla Parris, 53, of Hillsboro, Missouri
A report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) confirmed the crash happened before 3:30 p.m., involving eight vehicles. Officials identified the out-of-state driver as 45-year-old Richard Holden of Greensburg, Louisiana.
According to MSHP, Holden became inattentive to the slow moving traffic on I-55, causing the tractor-trailer to strike the backend of a Toyota Camry. Officials say five others were injured in the accident.
Holden has been booked into the Jefferson County Jail for three counts of involuntary manslaughter.
