JC driver caused wrong-way accident

Columbia police said Monday a Jefferson City man was driving a vehicle the wrong way on U.S. 63, near the Discovery Parkway exit at the south end of Columbia, causing a five-vehicle accident Sunday evening.

A Columbia police news release said Roger Dickey, 50, and Beckey Dickey, 57 - both of Jefferson City - suffered serious injuries in the 7:08 p.m. head-on collision.

They said Roger Dickey was driving a 2003 Ford Taurus southbound in the northbound lanes of the divided highway.

How he got to be driving in the wrong direction still is part of the ongoing investigation, Columbia police said. They also said Monday evening they didn't know whether alcohol or drug use was a factor in the accident.

They reported the first vehicle to face the Dickeys' Taurus was a 2005 Subaru driven by Casey Richter, 28, Columbia. He swerved left to avoid a crash, ending in the highway median.

The second vehicle - a 2006 Honda Accord driven by
Morgan Rundle, 20, Columbia - avoided a collision by heading to the right shoulder.

The Dickeys' car then clipped a northbound 2011 Nissan Rouge - driven by Seren Acar, 22, Columbia - as it was swerving to avoid the accident, and it was knocked into Rundle's Honda.

Ross Arntzen, 27, Columbia was driving a 2007 Toyota Prius behind Acar's Nissan, and "was unable to avoid (the Dickeys' Taurus), which resulted in a head-on crash," the police reported.

Arntzen also received serious injuries.

Police reported they don't know if the Dickeys were using seat belts, but the drivers of the other four vehicles were using them.

Richter, Rundle and Acar were not injured.

Columbia police spokeswoman Bryana Larimer said more information would be released when it is available.

So far, there is no report of any tickets being issued or charges filed.