Columbia Man's Condition Deteriorates After Multiple Collisions

BOONE COUNTY - Cory Speaks, 31, of Columbia is in critical condition Sunday after surviving multiple vehicle collisions early Thursday morning. University Hospital reported Speaks' condition as "serious" Saturday. He is in "critical" condition Sunday evening.

Speaks was traveling north in the southbound lane on Highway 63 north of Lake Road in Boone County when his Chevrolet collided with a Missouri Department of Transportation snow plow at approximately 4:30 a.m. Thursday. According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Speaks was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of this accident.

He then left his vehicle and continued to cross the highway on foot when a Ford vehicle struck him at approximately 4:35 a.m. Speaks again survived this collision and continued to cross the highway.

The highway patrol reports a third vehicle struck Speaks at approximately 4:40 a.m. A semi-truck was traveling southbound when it collided with Speaks.

Rescue workers transported Speaks to University Hospital in Columbia after the final collision. The three other drivers involved did not sustain serious injuries. Speaks remains in University Hospital as of 5:30 p.m. Sunday.