Fatal weekend wreck claims life of Walker man

A fatal traffic crash occurred on U.S. 54 Highway, 1 1/2 miles east of Nevada, late Friday night.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop D responded to the crash, which occurred at 10:10 p.m.

The wreck happened when an eastbound 2010 Nissan Altima driven by Gordon S. Buttorff (58-years-old), of Walker, Mo., crossed the center line and struck, head on, a westbound 2019 Jeep Renegade driven by Samuel O. Spring (21-years-old) of El Dorado Springs, Mo.

Spring was wearing a seat belt and sustained serious injuries. He was flown to Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Mo. According to the Highway Patrol, Buttorff was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Vernon County Deputy Coroner.

This is Troop D's 19th fatality for 2023.