Five injured in three-vehicle traffic accident on U.S. 59

Five people, including a Eudora man, were injured in a three-vehicle accident early Thursday afternoon about two miles south of Lawrence on U.S. Highway 59.

Douglas County paramedics work on a victim of a three-vehicle accident that occurred about noon Thursday south of Lawrence on U.S. Highway 59.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said these people were injured in the accident: Martin Belcher, 47, Eudora; Darwin W. Kurtz, 34, Westphalia; Wayne G. Kurtz, 83, Westphalia; Rochelle M. Edwards, 21, Lyndon; and Ricky D. Hobbs Jr., 24, Lyndon.

Information was not yet available on their conditions at area hospitals.

The accident occurred at the intersection of U.S. 59 and Douglas County Route 458 the same intersection where a man was killed in a Christmas Eve 2001 collision.

The accident occurred shortly after noon Thursday.

State troopers said the Kurtzes were traveling south on U.S. 59. Their vehicle struck the rear of Belcher’s vehicle, which was stopped at the intersection with Route 458. After that impact, Belcher’s vehicle struck the third vehicle, which contained Edwards and Hobbs, head-on.

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