93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Mid-Missourians are being encouraged to stand along Tuesday afternoon’s funeral procession route for a fallen Boone County Fire Protection District assistant chief.
The funeral for assistant chief Bryant Gladney will begin at 11 am at Columbia’s Hearnes Center. Gladney’s colleague, assistant chief Gale Blomenkamp, describes Gladney as a dedicated public servant.
“He’s been a member and served this community for 25 years, on the Boone County Fire (Protection) District. He was an original member of Missouri Task Force One, and was actually deployed to 9-11,” Blomenkamp told reporters last week, after the incident.
Blomenkamp says Gladney served as a bureau director over training for the fire district.
After Tuesday’s funeral service, the procession will leave the Hearnes Center onto westbound Stadium, then will turn right onto Providence before turning left onto westbound Business Loop 70 to Memorial Funeral Home. A private family service will take place there.
Visitation will take place today from 4-7, at Hearnes Center. Missouri Governor Mike Parson will be attending the visitation, according to his office.
Meantime, Missouri state troopers say their investigation into the deadly collision that killed Assistant Chief Gladney continues.
Highway Patrol Lieutenant Eric Brown told 939 the Eagle on Monday afternoon that it’s a long and detailed process. The Patrol’s crash report says an ambulance and Chief Gladney’s vehicles had their emergency lights activated, when they were struck by the tractor trailer last Wednesday morning on I-70 near Columbia.
The incident happened at the 135-mile marker, and assistant chief Blomenkamp says the tractor trailer struck those vehicles at highway speed.
