April 2, 2023 Mansfield Firefighter, Wright County EMT Justin Sanders, 31, died at the scene.
Source Firehouse.com News
An off-duty EMT/firefighter was killed and a Mansfield police officer was injured early Saturday in a crash along a highway believed to have been caused by a driver under the influence.
Justin Sanders, 31, participating in a ride-along program, was in the passenger seat of the Ford F-150 operated by Mansfield Officer Michael Bryson. They were parked monitoring traffic when the crash occurred, ky3 reported.
A GMC Sierra crossed the center of the road, ran off the left side and struck the officer’s truck, according to the crash report from Missouri State Police.
Sanders was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:52 a.m. by Wright County Coroner Ben Hurtt. Bryson was transported to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Kody Skaggs, 21, the driver of the Sierra, suffered minor injuries. He was arrested on pending charges of driving while intoxicated resulting in the death of another person, first-degree assault, careless and imprudent driving, and no seat belt, according to published reports.