Injured Worker Dies in Hosptial After Barge Strikes His Johnboat Near St Louis

Posted in Barge Accidents,Missouri Maritime News on October 25, 2013

ST. LOUIS, MO. — A man who was injured and tossed into the Missouri River when his johnboat was struck by a barge Wednesday, Oct. 23, has died Thursday morning. The victim was identified as Rodney “Rocky” Stumo, 51, of Rolla, Mo., who ws pronounced dead at 5:30 a.m. Thursday, October 24, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Man was killed in a barge accident on the Missouri River on October 23, 2013 in St Louis, MO. PHOTO CREDIT: KMOV.com St. Louis

The accident occurred On Wednesday, October 23, near the Lewis Bridge that carries U.S. Route 67 over the Missouri River between St. Louis and St. Charles County, Mo. near the Central Stone Co. North Quarry Dock Port Facility on the St. Louis County side of the Missouri River, just off U.S. 67. Stumo was rescued by by members of the W.A. Ellis Construction Co.’s towboat Johanna who pulled him out of the water, but despite their heroic efforts, Stumo could not be revived.

Map shows location of fatal barge accident near the U.S. Highway 66 bridge over the Missouri River in St Louis, MO on October 23, 2013.

According to David Tiefenbrunn of the Sheriff’s Department, the barge involved in the collision was being pushed by the towboat Jennie Dehmer, owned by Magnolia Marine Transport of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Stumo was attempting to cross the river from the trestle pier back to the shores, when his boat was struck by the barge pushed by the Jennie Dehmer.Lt.

Tiefenbrunn said the Sheriff’s Department received a call at 9:33 a.m. Wednesday reporting the collision on the river and that a man was in the water. Tiefenbrunn said Stumo worked for St. Louis Bridge Construction Co., which has been doing work on the piers of the train trestle that crosses the Missouri River just upriver from the Lewis Bridge. Stumo was operating a johnboat with a cabin, where the driver sits, according to Tiefenbrunn.

Crew members from the Johanna came to the rescue and pulled the victim from the water. Workers from St. Louis Bridge Construction Co. began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the victim. Once they got the victim to shore, they were joined by St. Charles County sheriff’s deputies until paramedics arrived and took over the CPR effort.

Stumo initially was taken to Christian Hospital in North St. Louis County, then was transferred to Barnes-Jewish, where he died Thursday morning.

The incident remains under investigation at this time.

Blog post by barge injury lawyer Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP