NOVELTY, Mo. (July 18, 2025) — A 17-year-old boy and an 81-year-old woman were injured Thursday afternoon in a single-vehicle rollover crash on Missouri Route 156, about five miles west of Novelty, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Troopers said the westbound 2001 Ford Taurus, driven by the juvenile from Kirksville, ran off the right side of the roadway shortly after 3 p.m. The driver overcorrected, crossed the centerline, and ran off the left side of the road before the vehicle overturned and came to rest in the eastbound lane.
The teen driver, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered moderate injuries and was taken by Lewis County Ambulance to Northeast Regional Hospital in Kirksville.
An 81-year-old woman from Novelty, who was also wearing a seat belt, was a passenger in the vehicle and sustained serious injuries. She was airlifted by Air Evac to University Hospital in Columbia.
The patrol’s report did not list the vehicle’s insurance information.
Trooper Schieferdecker of Troop B investigated the crash. He was assisted by Master Sgt. Ritter, the Novelty Fire Department, Knox County Ambulance and Sheriff’s Department, and additional ambulance services from Lewis and Adair counties.
