Gasconade County Republican

A 27-year-old man from Bland was killed early Monday morning, struck by a car while standing in the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 50 on the west end of Loose Creek, Mo.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol report of the 5:15 a.m. incident on Jan. 30 states Justin A. Pierce was “standing in the westbound lane of traffic” when he was struck by a westbound 2009 Chevrolet Impala driven by Michelle G. Kliethermes, 45, of Linn, Mo.

Osage County Coroner Lois Jaegers said Pierce sustained blunt force trauma to the head and chest. He was pronounced dead at 6:02 a.m. at the scene. Jaegers said Pierce was approximately three-fourths the way up the hill leading out of the Loose Creek community when he was struck.

Jaegers said she was told by law enforcement officials at the scene that a truck driver reported seeing Pierce crossing the westbound lane. “He was flagging down an eastbound truck,” Jaegers said of the trucker’s report to authorities.

Kliethermes was not injured and her car received minor damage, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s report by Trooper T.W. DeCramer.

“At this point, it’s considered an accident,” said Jaegers.

Pierce had been resuscitated twice by Ozark Central Ambulance District personnel and a deputy from the Gasconade County Sheriff’s Department after he stopped breathing early on the morning of Jan. 11 following an attempted suicide at his residence in Bland. Pierce was threatening to kill himself while holding a 12-inch long kitchen knife to his throat following an evening of heavy drinking, according to the report filed by the GCSD.

During a 32-minute standoff in the man’s kitchen, a deputy repeatedly attempted to talk Pierce out of harming himself. The deputy finally used a Taser weapon to stun him, then a second jolt to disarm him. After he was handcuffed, Pierce vomited and lost consciousness, aspirating vomit into his lungs. He was revived with CPR and spent seven days recovering in a Columbia hospital.