Drivers hospitalized after head-on wreck

Two drivers who suffered injuries in a head-on collision early Thursday morning on the Kansas River Bridge were in good condition Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Sarah A. McWilliams, 25, Grandview Plaza, was injured about 1:20 a.m. when she entered the wrong lanes to cross the bridge — the southbound instead of the northbound span. Her 1977 Chevrolet struck a 1987 Toyota driven by Emmanuel Gauna Jr., 51, Lawrence, according to a Lawrence Police report.

A passenger in McWilliams’ car, James Simpson, Manhattan, was treated at the hospital for injuries.

Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a Lawrence Police spokesman, said police were checking the drivers’ blood to determine whether alcohol was involved.

Investigation

Stabbing victim released; hate crime ruled out

The man who was robbed, stabbed, beaten and left for dead Monday at Riverfront Park has been released from a Kansas City-area hospital.

Police said Thursday that they had ruled out the possibility that the attack at the Jayhawk Motel, 1004 N. Third St., was a hate crime. The victim, 21-year-old Josh Greemore of Mayetta, is American Indian, and all five people charged in the attack are white.

The suspects — three men from Emporia, a woman from Emporia and a man from Oklahoma — appeared Wednesday in Douglas County District Court.

Three are charged with attempted murder, and all are charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery.

Seasons

Birds’ appearance means spring not far behind

Another sign of spring — this time the mosquito-eating purple martin — has appeared in Douglas County.

Franklin Bidinger, Clinton, said he saw three purple martins late Wednesday near his home.

The birds make their trip from Brazil about the same time every year, he said.

“People forget to put their martin houses up, so this is kind of a reminder,” he said, adding that hollowed-out gourds work the best. He has 400 of the houses near his home.

Bidinger and his wife, Bethany, welcome anyone interested in seeing or learning about the purple martins to their home at 607 N. 1190 Road. Last year 155 pairs of the birds nested nearby.

Severe weather

Hail does little damage

The hail that struck parts of Lawrence on Wednesday night apparently did little damage.

Area body shops were reporting only minimal notice of damage from customers after the storm.

James Bart, assistant manager of Laird Noller Body Shop of Lawrence, said despite the intense wind and rain, the hail was small and soft and caused only light damage.

David Sehorn, general manager of Hite Collision Repair Center, said car owners got off easy.

“It’s very minor compared to a lot of storms we’ve had in the past,” Sehorn said.

Sehorn said his body shop received about 20 calls from people whose cars were dented by hail.

“Five hundred calls is major,” Sehorn said.