One woman was killed and another person seriously injured early this afternoon in a car-truck accident that occurred about six miles south of Lawrence on U.S. Highway 59.

This camera phone photo shows the scene of a fatality accident, where a silver Malibu was sheared in half when it was struck by a sand truck early this afternoon at the Zarco 66 station about six miles south of Lawrence on the U.S. Highway 59. One woman was killed and one person was injured in the accident. The truck hit some gasoline pumps and flipped on its side, spilling out sand.

The accident, which occurred about 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 59 and Douglas County Route N 650, is expected to tie up traffic for several hours, according to authorities.

A Life Star helicopter was called in to transport the truck driver, Garold Marconette, 57, Ottawa, from the scene to an area hospital.

The identity of the woman who was killed was being withheld by authorities this afternoon, pending notification of relatives.

An observer at the scene said the accident was caused when a woman driving a silver Chevrolet Malibu pulled into the intersection from N 650 and was struck by a sand truck traveling south on U.S. 59.

The truck struck her car and pushed it into the nearby Zarco 66 gasoline station parking lot, shearing the car in half.

The sand truck also hit some gasoline pumps, knocking them off their base, before landing on its side and spilling out sand.

Though a Douglas County hazardous materials containment team was called to the scene, there were no leaks from the gasoline pumps. Apparently there was spilled fuel from the accident vehicles.

As of 2:44 p.m., the west-side lane of U.S. 59 was closed to traffic. Officers were directing traffic through the east lane.

About 20 emergency vehicles were at the scene

Lawrence Police Capt. David Cobb, said the Douglas County Sheriff’s office, Douglas County Fire & Medical, the Kansas Highway Patrol and Willow Springs Township fire department were responding to the accident.

Traffic was being blocked from the accident site and Cobb warned drivers to take an alternate route.

“We’ve got gasoline leaking and multiple vehicles, so I would stay away,” Cobb said.