(MISSOURI)— Nine people died in traffic crashes during the 2018 Christmas holiday weekend, according to the Missouri State Highway patrol.

In 2017, there were seven traffic deaths.

The 2018 Christmas counting period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, December 21, 2018, through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, December 25, 2018. The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the following:

2018 Christmas Holiday Traffic Statistics

Crashes ― 294
Injuries ― 80
Fatalities ― 6
DWI ― 106

On Monday, December 24, 2018. Edward R. Gault, 80, of Kansas City, KS, died when the vehicle he was driving was traveling on a hill at a high rate of speed, became airborne, then traveled off the north side of the roadway. The vehicle continued down a ditch, struck and embankment, became airborne a second time, then overturned onto its top off the north side of Missouri Highway 190.

Gault was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. A passenger in Gault’s vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Livingston County on Missouri Highway 190 west of Chillicothe, MO.

Livingston Coroner Scott Lindley pronounced Gault dead at the scene. Livingston County Sheriff’s Department personnel also responded to the scene.

There were no fatality crashes on Christmas Day, December 25, 2018.

During the 2017 Christmas counting period, the Patrol investigated 491 traffic crashes, which included 125 injuries and five of the seven fatalities. Troopers also arrested 92 people for driving while impaired over last year’s Christmas holiday. There were no boating crashes. No one drowned over the 2017 Christmas counting period.