A brief but intense thunderstorm blew through Douglas County on Wednesday evening, leaving vehicle accidents, downed tree limbs and electrical power outages in its path.

Less than half an inch of rain fell in Lawrence, but it fell fast and was accompanied by winds up to 60 mph.

Shortly after the storm moved into Douglas County about 7:30 p.m., a head-on collision occurred on the Kansas Turnpike west of Lawrence.

David C. Rojas, 32, Kansas City, Mo., was eastbound on U.S. Interstate 70 about two miles west of the Lecompton interchange when his 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck hydroplaned, struck the median barrier, spun around and was struck head-on by another eastbound vehicle, a turnpike dispatcher said.

Rojas was taken by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released. James D. Copeland, 22, Kansas City, Kan., was driving the 1986 Buick four-door that struck Rojas, the dispatcher said. Copeland also was treated and released from Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Ross Janssen, 6News meteorologist, said about 0.32 inches of rain had fallen at the 6News studios, Seventh and New Hampshire streets. Elsewhere, Jenny Lang reported a tenth of an inch in her East Lawrence neighborhood. Ross Razak, who lives in southeast Lawrence near Haskell Indian Nations University, reported nearly 0.25 inches. Bill Winkler recorded about 0.18 inches of rain near 26th and Iowa streets. Ryan Young, Baldwin, said the storm all but bypassed Baldwin, where he recorded only trace amounts of rain.

The storm kept Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical personnel busy. They responded to the I-70 injury accident. Battalion Chief Rob Kort said the department had received numerous calls about downed power lines and even rescued someone stuck in an elevator because of a power outage in the 2400 block of Melrose Lane.

Douglas County Westar Energy customers got off fairly easy, company spokeswoman Suzanne Eristurk said. At the height of electrical power outages caused by the storm, about 300 Lawrence customers were without power. The outages were caused mostly by high winds that blew tree limbs into power lines, she said.

Thunderstorms in Douglas County had dwindled to a sprinkle by 8:30 p.m. Janssen said skies should stay dry today after a few morning showers, with highs in the upper 80s.