A fatal crash in Carthage on Tuesday afternoon left one man dead and another facing multiple criminal charges.
According to the Carthage Police Department, the accident happened around 2:51 p.m. on October 21, 2025, at the intersection of West Oak Street and South McGregor Street.
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Investigators said a 2015 Ram 1500, driven by 22-year-old Mark Mendez-Hernandez of Southwest City, Missouri, was heading south on McGregor Street when it crossed into the intersection and hit a vehicle traveling east on Oak Street. The impact pushed that vehicle, driven by 76-year-old Gale Wade of Joplin, into a third car that had been stopped at the stop sign.
Mr. Wade was pronounced dead at the scene, police confirmed. His family has been notified.
Following the crash, Mendez-Hernandez reportedly fled the scene but was later found with help from local residents. He was arrested and charged by the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office with several offenses, including DWI resulting in death, involuntary manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, assault, and multiple traffic violations.
Authorities said Mendez-Hernandez is being held in the Jasper County Jail without bond.
Police said that this is the first fatal traffic crash in Carthage in 2025. The investigation is ongoing.
Officials thanked the citizens who assisted officers in locating the suspect, and they urged drivers to obey traffic laws and avoid impaired driving to prevent future tragedies.