Woman Dead After Car Accident Near Kirkwood

Frances Winker was driving westbound on Interstate 44 when she traveled off the left side of the highway and struck the medial wall. The car then reentered the roadway, traveled across I-44 and struck a rock bluff before overturning.

Posted by Brian Feldt (Editor), December 7, 2012 at 03:53 am

A 49-year-old St. Louis woman is dead from a car accident on Interstate 44 just outside of Kirkwood city limits on Thursday.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Frances Winker was driving westbound on Interstate 44, just east of Holmes Avenue, when she traveled off the left side of the highway and struck the median wall. The car then reentered the roadway, traveled across I-44 and struck a rock bluff before overturning.

Winker was taken to Mercy Hospitl in Creve Coeur by a Kirkwood ambulance but was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly before 6 p.m.

Winker's car, a 2000 Ford Expedition, was totaled. According to the highway patrol, she was not wearing a seat belt.

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Jeremy December 7, 2012 at 02:43 pm

I got stuck in that traffic and saw the vehicle smashed and upside down on the hill with fireman standing and looking at it. I suppose I should say "My condolences to the family" or whatever but it gets old. It never ceases to amaze me how many people don't wear seat belts. It really is survival of the fittest. If humans were so invincible there wouldn't be so many regulations to protect our safety. Another irony is that immediately after getting past the accident site a guy in a white Mustang zoomed past me going about 75mph. All you can hope for is that when reality catches up to these people they only harm themselves.

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Britt Kennedy December 7, 2012 at 10:16 pm

I saw the last part of that accident and was one of the cars that stopped to see if I could help. The car was surprisingly very much in tack just upside down. I checked out the passenger side to see if anyone else was still in the car. She was the only occupant and she was thrown halfway out of her window. She died quickly. I feel for the family and this event has made a lasting impression on me. Wear your seat belts people.

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Katie Coyle December 7, 2012 at 11:23 pm

We have seat belts for a very good reason. THEY SAVE LIVES. PLEASE, WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT EVERY TIME YOU GET IN A CAR.

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