ST. LOUIS (AP) - The longtime movie critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has died in a one-car accident.
Joe Williams died Sunday night in Jefferson County, south of St. Louis. Williams, 56, was a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He had been at the Post-Dispatch since 1997 and had been film critic since 2000.
"Joe had a love of movies that was infectious," said Jody Mitori, assistant managing editor for features. "He loved to watch them, talk about them and share his opinions about them. Readers - and his editors - looked forward to seeing what Joe thought of the latest releases and how he would write about the films he loved, and the ones he didn't.
"He was a gifted writer with a sharp wit and a generous spirit."
Williams, of Brentwood, was southbound on Highway 67 when he veered too far to the left, over-corrected and drove into a ditch on the right side of the highway, police said. His car came to a rest on its roof.
The crash remains under investigation.
Williams' mother, Marie Williams, said she believes that her son was on his way to the Starlite Drive-In Theater in Cadet, Missouri.
"He was the son I always wanted," she said. "I was so proud of him."