Missouri
New study lists Missouri at #8 for most dangerous state for teen drivers
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – In 2022 alone, data from the National Transportation Safety Administration shows nearly 3,000 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
“I should be having intentional conversations with my children about things like drinking and driving,” said the founder of Better Life in Recovery, David Stoecker.
As a very young teen growing up, David Stocker found alcohol as his peace.
“If I started to lose hope, then I want to numb or escape from that, and what I find is something like alcohol,” said Stoecker.
Using alcohol as medication at such a young age, Stoecker now uses his own experiences to stress the importance of staying sober behind the wheel.
”I died three times in an ambulance after a car accident I had down in Branson intoxicated behind the wheel,” he said.
On a night out partying with friends, David and his group decide to continue the party at another venue. However, while driving under the influence, Stoecker runs off the highway near Branson.
”You have a decision to make once you pass your driving test,” said Sgt. Mike McClure, with Missouri State Highway Patrol.
A study by an Ohio law firm using data from the Census Bureau and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows young drivers caused nearly 15%of all deadly crashes in Missouri.
”When you add into that distractions, whether it be phone usage, eating, impairment, those things, your chances of survival and or chances of being in a crash increase exponentially,” said McClure.
However, the crash wasn’t Stoecker’s final straw, and he believes it’s the same for many others, especially teens.
“I can remember my dad there in the room after I came out of a coma, talking to me and saying, well, what did you learn? And I looked at him and said I learned nothing can kill me. And I think this happens a lot. Kids are indestructible,” said Stoecker.
He says it starts by having a safe space. He believes having a conversation with his kids could prevent them from making the wrong turn.
”The longer he can wait before he starts drinking, the better off he’s going to be. But if he does drink, he can always give me a call, and he’s not going to be in trouble,” expressed Stoecker.
To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.
Copyright 2024 KY3. All rights reserved.

Missouri
Highway Patrol reports 7 arrests in north Missouri May 20–22, 2025

Click the + Icon To See Additional Sharing Options
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a total of seven arrests in north Missouri between May 20 and May 22, 2025. Charges ranged from traffic-related offenses to violent felonies.
It is important to note that, while all the individuals listed below have been reported as arrested, they may not have been physically transported to a detention center. Depending on the circumstances, an individual may be issued a summons, which includes a court date. When the Missouri State Highway Patrol issues a summons with a court date, it is considered an arrest, even if the individual is not physically transported to a detention center.
Jon P. Worrell, a 57-year-old man from Maryville, Missouri, was arrested at 10:15 a.m. on May 20 in Nodaway County. Worrell was taken into custody on multiple felony warrants issued by Coffee County, Georgia. The charges include felony murder, malice murder, aggravated battery involving a firearm, and conspiracy to commit a crime. He was held at the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department with no bond. These charges are accusations and do not constitute evidence of guilt. Legal proceedings will determine the outcome of the case.
Preston J. Cornelius, age 34, of Country Club, Missouri, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. on May 20 in Daviess County. Cornelius was taken into custody on a misdemeanor warrant related to a traffic violation in Andrew County. He was booked into the Daviess DeKalb Regional Jail and is bondable.
Dewayne M. Taylor, a 55-year-old man from Liberty, Missouri, was arrested at 9:14 p.m. on May 20 in Livingston County. Taylor faced two charges: operating a motor vehicle without a valid operator’s license and failure to register the motor vehicle. He was later released from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department.
Brandin L. Robinson, 42, of Columbia, Missouri, was arrested at 10:09 a.m. on May 21 in Randolph County. Robinson was charged with felony driving while revoked and also had an active Boone County misdemeanor warrant for the same offense. He was held at the Randolph County Jail and is bondable.
Ezekiel M. Bowen, an 18-year-old man from Monroe City, Missouri, was arrested at 11:32 a.m. on May 21 in Monroe County. Bowen was taken into custody on a felony warrant for failure to register as a sex offender. He was held at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and is eligible for bond.
Brent M. Wilson, 33, of Brashear, Missouri, was arrested at 9:28 p.m. on May 21 in Adair County. Wilson faced multiple charges: driving while intoxicated with alcohol, driving while intoxicated with a person under the age of 17 in the vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance. He was held at the Adair County Jail and was later released.
Mark K. Luntsford, a 53-year-old man from Moberly, Missouri, was arrested at 2:49 p.m. on May 22 in Randolph County. Luntsford was charged with felony DWI involving alcohol and physical injury, as well as driving in the wrong direction on a highway. He was held at the Randolph County Jail and has since been released.
Post Views: 921
Related
Click the + Icon To See Additional Sharing Options
Missouri
College Football Playoff Format Change is Good News for Missouri, SEC

It only took one season until major changes were made to the 12-team College Football Playoff format.
Thursday, the CFP committee agreed to change to a straight seeding format, the comitee announced in a press release Thursday.
This change won’t lead to any different qualifications to make the playoffs. The five highest-ranked conference champions will still earn automatic bids. But, instead of the conference champions being guaranteed a top-five seed, and a first-round bye for the top four of those, the seeding will be determined by ranking only.
However, the change is beneficial to both the Southeastern Conference and the Big 10, who had a combined seven teams qualify for the 2024-2025 CFP. The new format wouldn’t have made it easier for teams on the border like South Carolina and Alabama last year to qualify, but it would mean that all of the at-large qualifiers from both the SEC and Big 10 would have earned higher seeds.
Team |
Actual Seed |
Hypothetical Straight Seed |
---|---|---|
Oregon (Big 10 champions) |
1 |
1 |
Georgia (SEC champions) |
2 |
2 |
Boise State (Mountain West champions) |
3 |
9 (-6) |
Arizona State (Big 12 Champions) |
4 |
11 (-7) |
Texas |
5 |
3 (+2) |
Penn State |
6 |
4 (+2) |
Notre Dame |
7 |
5 (+2) |
Ohio State |
8 |
6 (+2) |
Tennessee |
9 |
7 (+2) |
Indiana |
10 |
8 (+2) |
SMU |
11 |
10 (+1) |
Clemson |
12 |
12 |
For the Missouri Tigers, the path to making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history remains the same.
However, the door is now open for more than just one school from each conference to earn a first-round bye, and more space created to host a Round 1 game. For the Tigers to do either, they’d have to rank higher than the other highest-ranked conference champions, just like the SEC’s two at-large qualifiers did last season.
Additionally, the committee is moving closer toward expanding the playoff field. For the 2026-2027 CFP, the field will expand to 14 or 16 teams, sources told Brett McMurphy of The Action Network. An expansion would make it even easier for the two heavy-hitter conferences.
The straight seeding, and possible upcoming expansion, adds more fuel to the fire for the conversation of whether or not teams in the SEC or BIg 10 should care about conference championship games.
With straight seeding in place, the only reward to Texas or Georgia in last year’s SEC championship game would’ve been the difference of one seed. Both teams would earn a first-round bye under the new seeding format.
For head coach Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers, the 2025 season might be their best chance yet to qualify for the Playoff. Drinkwitz believes this team is the best he’s ever coached in his time with Missouri.
“Whether we’re talking about offense, special teams or defense, I think there’s a level of excitement because of the level of depth and competition that we’ve created,” Drinkwitz said April 29. “It’s going to be about establishing an identity early and really playing to that identity.”
Missouri
Police standoff Wednesday night in Kansas City, Missouri, ends with no suspect found in house

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Police officers found no one inside a southeast Kansas City, Missouri, house after a standoff Wednesday night that began after a man with life-threatening wounds told officers a woman stabbed him.
Officers were sent at about 7:30 p.m. on a reported shooting in the 7500 block of East 110th Street, a department spokesperson stated in an email.
They found a man with life-threatening stab wounds who told them a woman stabbed him.
The woman was believed to be inside a house, but was not found when officers went into the house to end the standoff.
No other information was available Wednesday night.
—
If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
-
Culture1 week ago
Book Review: ‘Original Sin,’ by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson
-
Education1 week ago
A $5 Billion Federal School Voucher Proposal Advances in Congress
-
Education1 week ago
Video: Opinion | We Study Fascism, and We’re Leaving the U.S.
-
Technology1 week ago
Love, Death, and Robots keeps a good thing going in volume 4
-
News1 week ago
As Harvard Battles Trump, Its President Will Take a 25% Pay Cut
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta’s beef with the press flares at its antitrust trial
-
News1 week ago
Menendez Brothers Resentenced to Life With Parole, Paving Way for Freedom
-
Politics1 week ago
Republicans say they're 'out of the loop' on Trump's $400M Qatari plane deal