MISSOURI – Nine people, two more than last year, died on Missouri roads over the Christmas holiday according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The MSHP investigated six of the nine fatalities. Out of the six they investigated three occurred in the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, area; two occurred in each of the Troop C, Weldon Spring, and Troop H, St. Joseph, areas; and one occurred in each of the Troop D, Springfield, and Troop I, Rolla, areas.

The remaining three fatalities occurred during a two-vehicle crash in the Blue Springs, MO, area.

The lone fatality in the Troop D area happened on Friday, December 21. Brett Bruenn, 17, of La Russell, Mo. was a passenger in a vehicle that went off the side of the road and overturned. The crash happened on Missouri Route U, north of Sarcoxie. Bruenn was not wearing a seatbelt.

In total, the patrol investigated 294 crashes, 80 injuries and 106 DWI’s as well as the nine fatalities.