DENT COUNTY, Mo. – Two people are dead and a man was seriously injured after a head-on accident Monday afternoon outside of Salem.

The accident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Highway 32, just 8 miles east of Salem, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP). The accident involved three vehicles: a Chevrolet Aveo, a Nissan Versa, and a semi-truck.

According to MSHP, the accident happened as the driver of the Chevrolet, Austin Bramson, 21, passed the semi-truck while both vehicles were traveling westbound on Highway 32.

When Bramson passed the semi-truck, he saw the Nissan traveling eastbound in his direction and swerved to avoid it before losing control of his vehicle. According to MSHP, the Chevrolet and Nissan struck each other head-on, then crashed into the semi-truck.

Bramson and the driver of the Nissan, Angela Petro, 34, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger in the Nissan, a 41-year-old man, was airlifted to a hospital in St. Louis suffering from serious injuries.

The drivers and passenger injured in the crash were all wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, MSHP says. The driver of the semi-truck did not suffer any injuries from the accident.