JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Governor Mike Parson has ordered all U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff on Thursday at government buildings in Camden and Miller counties, as well as all police stations across the state, to honor an Osage Beach police officer who died in the line of duty.
Officer Phylicia Carson was on patrol just before 1:20 a.m. on August 31 when she noticed a speeding vehicle on westbound Highway 54 near Passover Road. Carson activated her police lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the offending driver sped off.
Carson pursued the vehicle onto Route A when her car began to skid, according to the crash report. Carson’s vehicle went off the road, struck a tree, and caught fire. Carson perished in the crash. She was 33.
“Officer Carson was a member of the Osage Beach Police Department for just under a year, but in that short period, she made a difference for Osage Beach and contributed to an enduring legacy of public service,” Parson said.