Off-Duty Missouri Officer Killed in Head-On Vehicle Collision

Officer James "Mitch" Ellis, 49, had just gotten off work and was heading home to his family in Illinois when an oncoming vehicle crashed head on into the vehicle he was driving.

October 11, 2019

Officer James 'Mitch' Ellis, 49, died in a head-on collision on his way home from work. Officer James "Mitch" Ellis, 49, died in a head-on collision on his way home from work.Photo: St. Louis County PD

An off-duty officer with the St. Louis County (MO) Police Department was one of two people killed in a head-on vehicle collision Thursday night.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Officer James "Mitch" Ellis, 49, had just gotten off work and was heading home to his family in Illinois when an oncoming vehicle attempted to pass a truck on a two-lane highway and crashed into the vehicle he was driving.

Ellis was transported to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

A passenger in the car that hit Ellis' car also died. She is identified as 24-year-old Ariah Claybrone. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a nearby hospital in serious condition.

Officer Ellis was an eight-year veteran of the agency. He is survived by his wife, five children, his parents, and a brother.

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