A Belle woman received serious upper leg and head injuries in a nearly head-on crash at 2:40 p.m. Friday in front of New Hope United Methodist Church on Highway 28 west of Owensville.

Shanae L. Crider, 35, was not wearing a seat belt when the 2000 Jeep Cherokee she was driving was struck by a 2002 Ford F250 pickup truck driven by Brennan C. Heimbaugh, 25, of Rolla. He was eastbound and swerved into Crider’s westbound lane to avoid rear-ending another vehicle which slammed on its brakes to stop for a motorist turning around in the church parking lot.

Crider was flown by ARCH helicopter ambulance to Mercy Hospital St. Louis following

Heimbaugh and his passenger, Heath A. Smith, 34, of St. James, were transported by ground ambulance to Mercy Washington with minor and moderate injuries respectively, according to the report from Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Cpl. Coby Holzschuh. Neither men in the truck were wearing seat belts but are not required to, due to the truck’s weight listing, according to Holzschuh.

Traffic was stopped in both directions on Highway 28 for 50 minutes.

An Owensville man working on a stand in front of the church, which will hold three church bells being installed, said he heard the screeching of tires as one vehicle skidded to a stop as a motorist turned into the parking lot, apparently to turn around.

The pickup truck was unable to stop and swerved into oncoming traffic.

Both vehicles were heavily damaged and towed from the scene by Triple L. Towing. Owensville firemen handled extrication duties.