Highway accident claims life of SBU student; 1 hurt
BOLIVAR—Southwest Baptist University (SBU) is mourning the death of one of its students as Kristin Edwin Beasley, 26, of Bolivar died in a car accident Sept. 23.
According to the Highway Patrol report as detailed in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press, Beasley was a passenger in a 2005 Ford driven by another SBU student, 22-year-old Rebecca J. Cook of Chaffee. Cook was westbound on U.S. 60 about 5 miles east of Van Buren at 3:40 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon when the vehicle ran off the left side of the road, overcorrected and overturned. Beasley, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle.
Beasley was airlifted to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where he died around 5:30 p.m. Cook was taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. She was wearing a seat belt.
Beasley was set to graduate from SBU in December with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His parents are missionaries in Thailand, and his sister, Megan, is a graduate student in education at SBU.
Cook has played on SBU’s softball team and is planning to graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in physical education (K-12).
The crash was investigated by Highway Patrol Cpl. J. A. Craven assisted by Sgt. C.N. Ponder.