An Owensville sideswiped a cedar and woman narrowly missed a larger tree Friday morning when she ran off Highway 28 west of Dittman Road and traveled about 30 feet into a tree line on north side of the road.

Leslie M. Kurgas received moderate injuries in the one-car crash reported to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and area fire departments at 7:55 a.m. Sept. 4.

According to the MSHP report from Trooper B.R. Lange, Kurgas was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Equinox east on Highway 28 east of Cleavesville Road when she became distracted and looked away from the road. Her car crossed the centerline and traveled into the westbound lane.

A witness told Lange he was driving a dump truck west when Kurgas came into his path. She swerved to the right to avoid the dump truck and traveled back into the eastbound lane. She over-corrected, crossed back over the center-line, ran off the left side of the road and into the wood-line on the north side of the highway, striking several trees.

Volunteer firemen from the Bland Fire District and the Owensville Fire Department had to cut away several small tree sprouts to clear a path into the wreck scene. Kurgas’ car came to a stop up against several trees. She hit a large cedar entering the wood line and narrowly missed hitting a mature oak.

She was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. She was extricated from the car and taken by Ozark Central Ambulance District personnel for treatment to Mercy Hospital Washington. The Equinox was listed as a “total” loss. Triple L Towing of Owensville removed the car from the scene.