7 die in five fatality accidents Saturday in Kansas
Seven individuals died in five separate fatality accidents Saturday across state highways, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported Sunday.
It wasn’t clear if any of the five accidents were weather-related, but an official with the National Weather Service said inclement weather did begin hitting parts of the state Saturday morning.
At least four of the seven fatalities were to individuals junior than 22.
Rodney L. Strickell, 53, of Wellsville, and Dylan Strickell, 17, of Lawrence, died in a double-fatality two-vehicle accident just after seven p.m. six miles east of Baldwin City near US-56 highway in Douglas County.
The accident happened when the Strickells were traveling southbound in a Saturn passenger car on Douglas County Road one thousand sixty one and failed to stop at the US-56 intersection.
The Saturn was struck by a GMC Denali XL sport utility vehicle in the passenger side door.
Both vehicles entered the southeast ditch, and the Saturn came to rest on its top facing southwest while the SUV came to rest on its wheels facing east.
Three individuals from Overland Park were in the SUV: the driver, Alexander M. Knoeferl, 43; Heather L. Knoeferl, 40; and Mary F. Knoeferl, 14. All three were transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center, with Heather and Mary having possible injuries.
Rodney Strickell, the driver of the Saturn, wasn’t wearing his seat belt, while all others were.
Kelsey Rae Gordon, Nineteen, of Osage, died after she was ejected from her Oldsmobile passenger car in a one-vehicle accident around Two:30 p.m. on K-58 highway, 1.Two miles east of US-75 highway in Coffey County not far from Leroy in eastern central Kansas.
Gordon was eastbound on K-58 when her car ran off the road on the south side, she overcorrected, and the auto overturned two and a half times before coming to rest on the roof of the car in the south ditch.
She was taken to Coffey County Hospital where she was later pronounced dead. She wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
The very first fatality accident of Saturday involved two vehicles and happened around 1:40 a.m. in Meade County in southwest Kansas on US-54 highway.
Sarah R. Hemauer, 21, of Chilton, Wis., died when the Chevrolet Cavalier she was railing in hit a Mazda3 head on.
Hemauer was one of three in the car from Wisconsin.
Cade Robert Hemauer, 22, was driving the Cavalier eastbound on US-54 when it went left of center and struck the Mazda3.
Cade suffered disabling injuries, and Braden Cole Hemauer, 21, also was injured.
Erin Nicole Padgett, 21, of Meade, was the only occupant in the Mazda and also suffered injuries.
All four were taken to Meade District Hospital, where Sarah Hemauer was pronounced dead.
All were wearing their seat belts.
Just after eleven a.m. in south central Kansas in Reno County, Allyson R. Yutzy, 20, of Sterling, was killed when she lost control of her westbound Saturn Ion, and it crossed into the eastbound lanes and struck a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV.
The accident happened on K-14 highway at N. Fairview, about four miles west of Nickerson.
Thomas J. Fortune, 24, of Butte, Mont., the driver of the SUV, along with occupant Casey D. Fouts, 22, of Sterling, both suffered disabling injuries and were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.
All three were wearing their seat belts.
Few details were given in another southwest Kansas fatality accident that was reported late Saturday in Liberal.
KHP said at 11:11 p.m. at Palo Verde Drive and E. 2nd a vehicle was traveling eastbound on 2nd when it struck two pedestrians in the roadway.
At least one person died, but it wasn’t clear who was killed, and KHP didn’t have any other information as of Sunday evening.
An extra six injury accidents were reported Saturday by the KHP and three by the Kansas Turnpike. From Sunday, KHP listed three injury accidents on their crash logs, while the Turnpike reported one.