A 20-year-old Ava man died following a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon in Taney County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred at 2:35 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the intersection of Highway 176 and Cedarwood Drive in Merriam Woods. Troopers reported that a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by a 32-year-old Branson man, was making a left turn when it was struck in the right rear by a northbound 2019 Honda CBR 500 motorcycle.
The impact ejected the motorcyclist, who was transported by air ambulance to Cox South Hospital in Springfield. He was pronounced deceased on Sept. 29 at 12:40 p.m. by Dr. Scott Hinze. The highway patrol said the crash marked Troop D’s 104th fatality for 2025.
The driver of the Chevrolet and a 13-year-old passenger, both from Branson, suffered minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to Cox Medical Center in Branson.
Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and were towed from the scene. All individuals involved were reported to have been using safety devices at the time of the crash.
