MISSOURI DEPUTY'S COLLISION AVOIDABLE

It could have been avoided. If the trees and shrubs had been a little less dense at the intersection. If the volunteer firefighter had slowed and seen the deputy approaching. If the men weren't rushing to help a stranger who might be in peril.

Any one of these, and 32-year-old Deputy Gary McCormack might still be alive.

Sadly, all three converged on the intersection of Farm Road 145 and Greene County WW in the early morning hours of Oct. 6. The result: the first on-duty death of a Greene County deputy in 40 years, and untold sadness for McCormack's family and friends.

A comprehensive Missouri Highway Patrol reconstruction of the accident provides new information about what took place in the fatal crash and what factors caused it. The report finds fault with Joshua C. Douglas, the 25-year-old volunteer Ebenezer firefighter who struck McCormack's cruiser.

Like McCormack, Douglas was responding to a report of a crash with "unknown injuries" shortly after 4 a.m. Oct. 6. Douglas was driving north on Farm Road 145 toward his fire station as McCormack, traveling more than 90 mph, was speeding west on WW to the accident scene. Both men had on emergency lights and sirens.

At the intersection of 145 and WW, Douglas faced a stop sign. McCormack did not. "This collision occurred as a direct result of (Douglas) not stopping or slowing for the stop sign..." the report finds. "Had (Douglas) slowed his vehicle adequately for the conditions at the intersection, he could have seen (McCormack) approaching the intersection..."

The report notes the intersection has "dense vegetation" on its southeast corner, a factor that "obscured" the responders' views of one another.

Both drivers slowed and swerved just before the crash, the report says, but it was too late. Douglas' pickup truck broadsided McCormack's cruiser, sending both vehicles spinning and flipping into a ditch.

McCormack, who had been wearing his seat belt, died of blunt-force trauma. Douglas, who the report says was probably not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from his vehicle and suffered a broken shoulder, broken ribs and several fractured vertebrae, the report said.

Meanwhile, the accident McCormack and Douglas were rushing toward was much less severe. According to a Highway Patrol report, a Brighton man was traveling north on Missouri 13 when he fell asleep and ran off the road. By the time emergency crews arrived, a private vehicle had taken the man to the hospital. It's unclear whether charges might be filed against Douglas in the deputy's death.

Vonda Taylor, office manager with the Greene County Prosecutor's Office, said prosecutors had only recently received the Highway Patrol report and were still reviewing its findings. Greene County Chief Deputy Jim Arnott said the sheriff's department would not voice an opinion regarding any possible charges. "We don't have any part in it," he said. Aside from failing to slow at the stop sign, the report finds no fault with Douglas' conduct. In his position as emergency responder, he was allowed to exceed the speed limit.

However, state statute stipulates responders may only proceed past a stop sign "after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation," the report notes. In an interview with the Highway Patrol summarized in the report, Douglas said he had no recollection of the crash — only being awakened by his home's fire radio, getting dressed and heading to the station.

Asked about his familiarity with Farm Road 145, the firefighter said, "I drove that road every day." The Missouri Department of Transportation is responsible for that stretch of road, including the safety of the intersection. In the aftermath of the accident, the Greene County Highway Department went out to survey the intersection for safety issues. It found no problems.

"The stop sign is clearly visible," said highway Department Director Dan Smith. "If you come up there and stop, the sight distance is really quite good."