Driver slams into taxi stopped on Missouri highway. Inside, 2 men were shot, police say

The driver of a pickup truck crashed into a taxi stopped in the middle of Interstate 55, Missouri authorities say, and inside that cab, one man was already dead or dying.

Moments before that truck came barreling down the highway around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, there had been a fight between the taxi driver and his passenger, a Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman told McClatchy News.

What led to the altercation, investigators are still trying to figure out, but they know at some point, the driver pulled a gun, according to MSHP. A struggle ensued, and both men were shot. The passenger died, but the driver survived and was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

A semi-truck driver, who witnessed the crash and called 911, recounted seeing the pickup pass by him and slam into the taxi, KTVI reported.

The trucker got out to check on the drivers, according to the outlet. The man in the pickup looked to be in bad shape, but the taxi driver seemed even worse, pleading for help and explaining that he had been shot.

“The driver was in critical condition when he was taken to the hospital, so our investigators haven’t had a chance to speak with him yet,” MSHP told McClatchy.

The pickup driver sustained injuries but none were life-threatening, according to MSHP.

An investigation is underway.

This story was originally published September 9, 2021 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Driver slams into taxi stopped on Missouri highway. Inside, 2 men were shot, police say."