GAINESVILLE, MO — October 16, 2026 A serious collision on Missouri Route 181, approximately two miles north of Gainesville in Ozark County, left a 29-year-old man injured and led to criminal charges against another driver, according to published reports citing the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) and online arrest records.
The crash occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. Friday, October 16. The injured Gainesville resident was transported to Baxter Health in Mountain Home, Arkansas, for medical treatment. His name was not released in the reported highway patrol information.
According to the available account, the injured man’s vehicle was preparing to make a left turn when another vehicle attempted to pass it. Both vehicles subsequently left the roadway and struck a utility pole.
Online arrest records identify the other driver as Albert J. Latham, 19, of Gainesville. Latham faces a felony charge of driving while intoxicated involving serious injury to another person, along with several misdemeanor charges. He was taken to the Ozark County Jail on a 24-hour hold.
The reported misdemeanor charges include operating a vehicle without proof of financial responsibility or valid insurance, failing to wear a seat belt, careless and imprudent driving involving a crash, possessing vision-reducing material, and purchasing or attempting to purchase alcohol as a minor. These are allegations, and the charges do not establish guilt.
