Tag Archives: Highway 43

Seneca residents evacuated after Lost Creek floods

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SENECA Mo. — Residents in Seneca are displaced after heavy rains caused Lost Creek to flood.

The Police Chief says flooding north of Lost Creek damaged multiple homes and businesses.

Around 7a.m. Saturday morning The Seneca Police Department, Seneca City Fire Department, Seneca District Fire Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol went door to door telling residents to evacuate.

Seneca authorities closed parts of Highway 43 from Lost Creek bridge for nearly two hours.

The Police Chief says everyone needs to stay away from flooded roadways.

“They just need use some common sense. Many times we had a few today, people just think the water is four to six inches deep. We’ll we’ve had some asphalt wash away and we’ve had some chips in roads or buckle and wash away due to the heavy current. Just because you think its two or three inches doesn’t mean its not two or three feet,” said Chief James Altic.

Chief Altic says right now they do not know how many businesses or homes were damaged from the flooding.

Authorities set up a shelter for the evacuees at Seneca Christian Church at Bethel and U highway because they are out of the flood zone.

He says there have been no water rescues or injuries are reported.

Vandals using frozen water bottles to break windshields on Hwy 43

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SOUTHWEST MISSOURI — Some drivers in Southwest Missouri have been targeted by vandals this week – and now authorities are on the lookout.

It’s scary enough when you’re behind the wheel and a small rock hits your windshield. But something much bigger struck this car windshield, startling the driver Wednesday. And unfortunately, the same thing has been happening to other motorists as well driving highway 43 in Newton County between the Petro Truck Stop and Seneca the last few days.

James Altic, Seneca Police Chief, said, “We’re lucky that somebody hasn’t been hurt real bad or killed, I mean some of these have destroyed the fronts of cars, we’ve had numerous windshields knocked out, the grills knocked out, it’s dangerous, it’s very dangerous.”

In fact, Altic says some victims have been hit more than once.

“We had one victim get hit coming into town and going out of town on two separate days.”

Altic says this is a photo of one of the pick up trucks that could be involved in the incidents. But cars aren’t the only vehicles that are getting targeted. This Seneca school bus was struck Thursday morning on 43 Highway going 55 miles an hour and Travis Vanwagner says it could have been disastrous.

Travis VanWagner, Transportation & Maintenance Director, Seneca Schools, said, “You get hit in the windshield with something, what ever was thrown, if it spooks the driver, that could cause him to go into the ditch, wreck, you know, you your taking kids lives in danger, it’s just ridiculous of people doing this, it’s crazy.”

Chris Jennings, Newton County Sheriff, said, “I’m assuming it’s probably a bunch of kids that have seen something on TiKTok or something and now they’re trying it, but they don’t realize how dangerous it is and how close they can come to really hurting somebody, a frozen water bottle is just like throwing a rock at somebody, it’s a deadly weapon, and we will pursue it and prosecute it like it is.”