El Dorado Springs woman suffers serious injuries in early morning traffic accident

A three-vehicle accident occurred at 7:59 a.m., Thursday, at Highway 54 four miles east of Nevada. The incident occurred when an eastbound 2006 Jeep Liberty driven by 70-year-old Ute F. Hermansen, of El Dorado Springs, Mo., struck an eastbound 2015 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 70-year-old Dennis A. Hoffman, of Juno, Alaska.

The crash then caused the vehicle driven by Hoffman to collide with an eastbound 2021 Peterbilt Propane truck driven by 50-year-old Louis J. Trytsman, of Walker, Mo. Both Hoffman and Trytsman were stopped for road construction.

Hermansen suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Mercy Hospital, in Joplin, Mo.

Responding to the scene were the Vernon County Sheriff's Office, Walker Fire Department, Nevada Fire Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Trytsman and Hoffman's vehicles sustained minor damages while Hermansen's vehicle was totaled.