Winter Storm Kills 4 in Mo., Smothers Kansas in Snow

At least four-people have been killed in weather-related crashes in Missouri and numerous school districts called off classes after a storm dumped from 3 to 9 inches across a large swath of the state.

Much of the state was under either a winter weather advisory or winter storm warning Monday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says three people were killed Sunday night when a driver lost control and overturned on U.S. 67 in St. Francois County in the eastern part of the state. A motorist who was stranded after a previous crash and two Good Samaritans who were trying to help were struck. The patrol identified the victims as 43-year-old Joseph Reddick, 39-year-old Heather Rusan and 23-year-old Paden Sorbello.

In mid-Missouri’s Callaway County, 18-year-old Nathan Clingman, of Steedman, was killed when his vehicle went off the side of Missouri 94 and overturned.

The patrol also said in a tweet Sunday night that it had responded to 525 calls from stranded motorists and to nearly 560 other traffic crashes. The patrol urged drivers to leave more time for their morning commutes.

The University of Missouri announced it was starting classes late Monday because of the storm. Among the districts to call off classes were Columbia, Branson, Springfield and Kansas City.

The winter storm dumped up to 11 inches of snow in Kansas has closed schools, snarled traffic and caused a fatality crash.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory Monday for northeast and southern Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Transportation says multiple roads are partially or completely snow covered.

Several crashes were reported. The Kansas Highway Patrol says 21-year-old Jimmy Romero was killed Sunday when a pickup truck in which he was riding overturned on an icy Wichita road.

The patrol also worked a five-vehicle wreck Sunday in Riley County involving three tractor-trailers.

Multiple school districts called off classes Monday, including several in the Wichita and Kansas City area. Emporia State University also is closed and Wichita State was starting classes late.