Missouri Deputy Trainee, Inmate Killed in Crash

**PapaBear** · 12-08-07, 08:04 PM

A deputy remains in critical condition

Updated: December 7th, 2007 03:39 PM EDT

Howell County Sheriff's Office

Howell County, Mo.-- On Thursday, Dec. 6 at approximately 4:30 p.m., a Howell County Sheriff's Office patrol car was involved in a two car crash just south of Houston, Missouri on U.S. Highway 63.

A Howell County prisoner transport guard, Laura J. Whittingham, age 35, and a female prisoner, Lisa G. Oliver, 36, were both fatally injured.

Deputy Sheriff Dennis D. Maddux, 53, and a male prisoner, Larry A. Marsh, 33, were both seriously injured and transported from Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston to Springfield hospitals.

At last report Deputy Maddux was listed in critical condition. No further report was available on Marsh.

Sheriff Robbie Crites stated, "First, our thoughts and prayers go to the families of both Laura and Ms. Oliver. Laura was the only female student in the new Sheriffs' Academy and was well liked by her classmates and instructors. She always wanted to 'out do the boys', and usually did.

"She has helped us out on numerous transports and was a good guard, very conscious of her duty. She will be missed both professionally and personally. My thoughts are with her husband, children and the rest of her family."

"We're also thinking of Dennis and Mr. Marsh. Dennis is an extremely professional deputy, a hard worker and highly thought of by fellow employees and supervisors. Our prayers are with him for a speedy recovery."

Both prisoners were being transported back to the Howell County Jail from the Missouri Department of Corrections for further court action in Howell County.

The traffic accident is being investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Major Crash Squad.

Sheriff Crites also added, "I want thank Sheriff Carl Watson and his deputies, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the doctors and staff at Texas County Memorial Hospital, and everyone else who were so helpful to me and our people in a very difficult time."

**kjlaw** · 12-08-07, 10:10 PM

RIP

**armsmaster270** · 12-09-07, 02:14 AM

RIP

**Ruffy** · 12-09-07, 09:31 AM

RIP

**Jenna** · 12-09-07, 09:37 AM

Rest in peace.

**Illiy** · 12-09-07, 10:33 AM

RIP

Prayers to the injured

**Willowdared** · 12-09-07, 12:56 PM

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Weather likely was a big factor in a car crash that killed a police cadet with the Missouri State Sheriff's Academy in West Plains and a prisoner whom she was escorting on Thursday. A Howell County sheriff’s deputy and another prisoner are in serious condition at a hospital in Springfield.

The crash about 420 p.m. killed cadet Laura Whittingham of Koshkonong and inmate Lisa Oliver of Falcon. Deputy Dennis Maddux and inmate Larry Marsh of Bakersfield are seriously injured.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Maddux lost control on an icy bridge of a patrol car that he was driving south on U.S. 63 about a mile south of Houston. He slid into the path of an oncoming pickup. The pickup broadsided the passenger side of the patrol car.

Oliver died at the scene. Whittingham died about four hours later at the hospital in Houston. Both of them were sitting on the passenger side – Whittingham in front and Oliver in back.

Maddux and Marsh were on the other side of the car. After being taken to the hospital in Houston, ambulances took them to Springfield.

Michael Best and Trenton Best, 8, of Houston were in the pickup. They went to the hospital in Houston with non-life threatening injuries.

Whittingham leaves behind five children and a husband. Just seven months ago, she celebrated one of the happiest days of life. Those who knew her say she had a bright future in front of her.

"I sure didn't expect it. It still doesn't seem real to me,” said her husband, Jeremy Whittingham.

Whittingham heard the news Thursday evening that his wife and mother of five was gone.

"I keep thinking I'll wake up and she'll be there,” he said.

Laura Whittingham loved her family and her job. She had a passion for law enforcement. She was a police cadet in a training academy, trying to get her foot in the door.

"Howell County is always needing guards for prisoner transport and she volunteered her time,” said her husband.

"In the two to three hours preceding and after this collision, we worked five or six accidents yesterday,” said Sgt. Marty Elmore, a spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop G headquarters in Willow Springs.

It was a busy night for law enforcement, and one that her academy instructor says he'll never forget. Whittingham was the only woman who made the academy this round.

"She was always an outspoken individual. She would've been an excellent police officer. She's going to be sorely missed,” said Ron Redfield of the West Plains Police Department.

“Her kids will remember her love. She was a good mom and they were first,” said Jeremy Whittingham.

Information on Oliver is sketchy. She was a mother and was serving time in state prison on a drug conviction. She was headed to Howell County court in West Plains.

The funeral for Whittingham is 2 p.m. Sunday at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home in West Plains. People can make memorial donations there for her family.