Man struck, killed on I-44 while moving hit deer from roadway, says MSHP

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo. — According to officials, a man is dead after attempting to remove a deer from I-44.

Eastbound traffic along I-44 Friday morning halted for miles after two reported crashes around 5:30 a.m. near the Mt. Vernon exit (MM 48).

Missouri State Highway Patrol told us a vehicle that had hit a deer had a passenger get out to move it from the roadway. That's when a male victim was struck by a passing tractor-trailer.

He was later pronounced deceased, MSHP said. The man's identity has not been released, but officials said his family had just finished dropping off a child at college before heading back to Springfield-Branson National Airport.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to an area hospital with unknown injuries.

MoDOT estimates a clearance time of 9:30 a.m. Eastbound traffic is still reduced to a single lane beginning near mile marker 47 - visible on MoDOT's Traveler Map.

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