Festus, MO – A three-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 55 north of Route A sent two people to the hospital Sunday morning and resulted in the arrest of a St. Louis woman on multiple charges, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The incident occurred around 10:09 a.m. when a 2015 Toyota Highlander, driven by 22-year-old Cindy Nguyen of St. Louis, attempted to unsafely pass a 2012 Ford F-250. The right side of Nguyen’s vehicle sideswiped the left side of the truck, causing her to lose control and strike a concrete barrier, troopers said.

Following the impact, Nguyen’s vehicle struck the rear of a 2009 Hyundai Azera, which was also traveling southbound.

Nguyen, who was not wearing a safety device, sustained moderate injuries and was transported by the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District to Mercy Hospital South. The 75-year-old male driver of the Ford F-250, from Baldwin, Michigan, suffered minor injuries and was also transported to Mercy Hospital South. The 78-year-old male driver of the Hyundai, from Maryland Heights, was uninjured and drove from the scene.

Both the Toyota Highlander and Ford F-250 were totaled and towed from the scene by Miner’s Towing. The Hyundai Azera sustained minor damage.

Nguyen was later taken into custody on patrol charges of tampering in the first degree, resisting arrest by flight, and leaving the scene of an accident. Further details about her arrest or bond status were not immediately available.

The crash remains under investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Paul Barnard Editor

Paul Barnard is the editor of the Twin City News. Barnard Graduated from Norwich University, America's oldest private military college, with a B.S. in Communications and Media Technology. There he studied journalism and marketing. For years after, Barnard was in law enforcement and gained experience in the Special Investigations Unit and publishing all the department's press releases. As Barnard's family grew, he moved on to start Twin City News.

See Full Bio