St. Clair Woman Dies in Accident

A 32-year-old St. Clair woman died a day after she was involved in an all-terrain vehicle crash southwest of the Luebbering area on Saturday evening.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol’s online report, Amy M. Erbes died as a result of the accident that took place on Elmwood Church Road at 7:02 p.m. on Sept. 29. She was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital St. Louis at about 5 p.m. Sunday. She was flown there by air ambulance following the incident.

According to the patrol, Erbes was a passenger on a 2009 Can-Am 880-R driven by Benjamin T. Erbes, 37, of St. Clair. The duo was westbound on Elmwood Church Road about 1.3 miles east of Highway 47 when the ATV traveled off the right side of the road and struck a tree.

Neither person was wearing a helmet.

Benjamin Erbes was taken to Mercy Hospital St. Louis by St. Clair Ambulance. His injuries were listed as moderate.

Damage to the ATV was extensive.

At the hospital, Benjamin Erbes was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated and second-degree assault. He later was released.

Other Crash

St. Clair Fire Protection District Chief Mike Kelley told The Missourian on Monday morning that a fire crew was returning from an earlier separate crash involving an ATV on Saturday evening when they saw Benjamin Erbes standing along Elmwood Church Road seeking assistance.

“He flagged them down,” Kelly said. “He led the guys to the accident scene.”

The other ATV crash took place on Little Indian Creek Road just south of Rye Creek Road at 6:25 p.m. on Saturday. The location of that incident is southeast of where the fatal accident occurred and is close to the Franklin-Washington County line.

According to the patrol’s report, Craig G. Myers, 43, of St. Clair, was northbound on Little Indian Creek Road driving a 2006 Polaris Ranger 500. He stopped on the bridge over Rye Creek and as the ATV began moving forward, a passenger, Bryan K. Thompson, 43, of Cadet, fell off.

Thompson’s injuries were listed as moderate. He was not wearing a helmet.

He was taken by St. Clair Ambulance to Mercy Hospital Washington. The ATV was not damaged.

Myers, who was not injured or wearing a helmet, was arrested for suspicion of DWI and second-degree assault. The patrol’s online report stated he was held at the Franklin County Jail on a 12-hour hold.