One person is dead and two others are being treated for serious injuries following a three-vehicle crash early Monday morning in eastern Cole County.
According to Highway Patrol reports, the crash occurred on U.S. 50/63, just east of Lisletown Road, around 6:20 a.m.
Angela Laws, 43, Jefferson City, was traveling the wrong way, going east in the westbound lanes, when she struck Carol Hubecky, 63, Linn, who was going westbound.
A third vehicle, driven by Keith Heymeyer, 52, Morrison, struck Hubecky in the side.
Hubecky was killed and her daughter, Jacqueline Herndon, 39, Linn, suffered serious injuries.
Herndon and Laws were taken to University Hospital in Columbia for treatment. Laws was listed in critical condition, and Herndon was in serious condition.
Heymeyer was treated for minor injuries.
Laws and Hubecky were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Heymeyer was wearing a seat belt. Patrol officers did not know if Herndon was wearing a seat belt.
A patrol crash investigation team gathered evidence at the site and is investigating.
Patrol officials said they don't know how Laws got started going in the wrong direction.
Traffic was backed up for several miles after the crash, and it took most of the Monday morning rush hour for the road to be completely cleared.
It is unknown how long it will be before the crash team comes out with its final report.