A West Plains man was killed in a head-on collision by a wrong way drunk driver early Thursday morning. The victim was 48. The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) does not identify victims of vehicle or boating accidents.
The driver of the other vehicle, 40-year-old Jason Andrew Morgan of Marionville, Missouri, fled the scene and was apprehended after a short search. He is facing felony charges of driving while intoxicated resulting in the death of another and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in the death of another along with misdemeanor charges of driving while suspended and a lane violation. He is being held in the Howell County Jail on a 24 hour hold. After that, bond will be set at $75,000.
According to the MSHP crash report, the accident happened when Morgan’s vehicle was travelling southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 63 and struck the victim’s vehicle head-on. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the investigating trooper found alcoholic beverages in Morgan’s vehicle and noted Morgan had a strong odor of alcohol while he interviewed him in the back of an ambulance. Morgan was administered a portable breath test and registered a blood alcohol level of 0.26%, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08%. That was at 4:22 Thursday morning. At 9:12 another breath test was administered which resulted in a level of 0.216%.
Morgan had minor injuries and was taken to Ozarks Health in West Plains where he was treated and released and then taken to the Howell County Jail.
The crash happened at 3:18 Thursday morning four miles north of West Plains.
PREVIOUS ARRESTS
Court records show it is at least Morgan’s fourth DWI arrest. He was arrested for driving while intoxicated in 2015, 2018 and in December of 2024. During his last DWI arrest in Republic, like the one Thursday, his license was suspended. His blood alcohol level during his last arrest was 0.271%.
Morgan has also been arrested and given probation for charges of fourth degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon and another arrest of disturbing the peace.
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