CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. — One man died and two children remain hospitalized in Memphis, Tenn., following a fiery church van crash near Hayti, Mo., on Feb. 11.
Bobby L. Coleman of Caruthersville, 43, a member of Kinfolks Ridge Baptist Church in Caruthersville, died when a vehicle driven by David Pennington, 32, collided head-on with the church van Coleman was driving.
Coleman was taking seven church members — a 5-year-old boy, five teenagers and an adult — to the Southeast Missouri Baptist Association Youth Valentine Fellowship at First Baptist Church in Hayti. All seven passengers were injured, with some taken to a Memphis hospital and others to Hayti.
Two children remain hospitalized in Memphis. The other church members were treated and released, Kinfolks Ridge Pastor Gary Mann said.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Pennington of St. Louis tried to pass an SUV driven by Franklin Casteel, 24, of Cooter, Mo. Pennington hit the SUV and then the church van, which caught fire, news media reported. Both men were hospitalized, Pennington in Memphis and Casteel in Hayti.
Funeral services for Coleman will be conducted on Saturday, Feb. 14, at First Baptist Church in Caruthersville. Visitation is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the service at 2 p.m. Mann will officiate.
“Prayer is what we need right now,” he said.
