One Dead, Another Seriously Injured in Highway 61 Crash as Local Business Mourns Loss

FORISTELL, Mo. — A Saturday afternoon crash near Foristell claimed the life of a 29-year-old woman, left another woman seriously injured and overturned a semi along U.S. 61.

Hours later, Hwy 47 Kitchen announced that it was mourning the death of a member of its team following an accident and would close Sunday to give employees time to grieve.

The crash happened around 3 p.m. on southbound U.S. 61 at Dietrich Road.

A Toyota Camry was crossing the southbound lanes toward Dietrich Road when it moved into the path of a Freightliner. The semi struck the passenger side of the Camry, and both vehicles traveled off the right side of the highway. The Freightliner overturned.

A 29-year-old Wentzville woman riding in the Camry died at the scene. She was pronounced deceased at 3:36 p.m.

The Camry’s 29-year-old driver, from O’Fallon, suffered serious injuries and was flown to Mercy Hospital St. Louis. The 50-year-old Florissant woman driving the Freightliner suffered minor injuries and was taken to SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital–Lake Saint Louis.

All three women were wearing safety devices when the crash occurred.

The completed Missouri State Highway Patrol report places the crash in the southbound lanes, correcting preliminary information shared during the emergency response that identified the northbound side.

Hwy 47 Kitchen later announced the loss of a team member known as Suppu, describing her as a friend, family member and special part of the restaurant’s team.

“Her loss has left all of us heartbroken,” the restaurant wrote.

The business said it would remain closed Sunday so employees could grieve and spend time together.

Authorities had not publicly identified the woman killed in the U.S. 61 crash at the time of publication, and the restaurant’s statement did not identify the accident involved. Lincoln CountyWatch has not independently confirmed a connection between the two developments.

The fatal crash remains the only deadly collision reported in the immediate area during that period. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Major Crash Investigation Unit assisted with the investigation.

For Hwy 47 Kitchen, Sunday’s closure was not simply a change in business hours. It was a day set aside for a grieving team to remember someone it considered family.

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