Authorities are investigating whether alcohol, a medical condition or a combination of the two may have contributed to a two-vehicle accident that killed two people Saturday on the western leg of Kansas Highway 10.
Kansas Highway Patrol Master Trooper Terry Berner said Sunday that Daniel J. Harpool, 51, of Lake Lotawana, Mo., was not passing another vehicle when his eastbound SUV crossed the center line and struck a pickup truck driven by Allen L. Eastland, 59, of Lawrence. Berner also said there were not any skidmarks in the roadway.
Both vehicles were fully engulfed in flames when emergency crews responded about 7:45 p.m. to the scene on K-10 west of the highway's intersection with Wakarusa Drive.
Berner said autopsy results are pending.
Eastland, an employee of Kansas University for about 15 years, was returning home from Spring Hill, where he had been doing farm work for his father, when the accident occurred, Pam Morris, who lived with Eastland, said Sunday.
Morris said Eastland, who worked in student housing at KU, was a big-hearted man and a jokester.
"He just liked to make people laugh," she said. "He was always happy."
On Thursday, 21-year-old James Keeton was killed when the car he was driving collided with another. That accident occurred in the same area as Saturday's accident. The driver of the second car, Maria Thorson, 25, was seriously injured.
Berner said that western leg of K-10, a two-lane, nondivided highway, is not a site of frequent accidents. "That portion of the highway is usually pretty quiet," he said. "What we've been experiencing here lately is really kind of out of the norm."
K-10 east of Lawrence has also had some serious accidents in the past week. On Monday, Eudora resident Helen Moorhead was killed in a two-vehicle accident, which also seriously injured Errin Lang, 38, the driver of the second car. On Wednesday, a two-vehicle accident on K-10 east of Lawrence sent Stephanie Rush, 23, of Eskridge, to Overland Park Regional Medical Center with injuries.
Comments
hawkperchedatriverfront 5 years, 5 months ago
lostcreek, you are exactly correct about those who "think" and those who 'forget" it is not a four lane.I would have concrete barriers brought in and divide the two lanes, that will slow people down, it works on Interstate 40 Albuquerque to Flagstaff during construction and convenienly construction is ongoing. it really does work and is not expensive compared to lives being lost.And maybe take the bridge , our bridge to nowhere and have Hetzel heavy hauling move it and place it over the at grade stop at Wakarusa and the trafficway. That is really dumb to have an at grade stop sign on a state highway, that is purported to be a bypass.
mustbhiorlo 5 years, 5 months ago
The odds are in favor of alcohol being involved in this and every accident that happens in the USA.250,000 people have died in alcohol related accidents in the past 10 years.Presently 25,000 people are killed each year in alcohol related accidents.500 people are killed each week in alcohol related accidents.71 people are killed each day in alcohol related accidents.One American life is lost every 20 minutes in alcohol related auto crashes.It is estimated that one out of every two Americans will be involved in an alcohol related accident in his or her lifetime.Alcohol related crashes are the leading cause of death for young Americans, between the ages of 16 and 24 years old.For all Americans between 5 and 35 years of age, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death. Over 50% of these accidents are caused by alcohol impaired drivers.Over 50% of all fatal highway crashes involving two or more cars are alcohol related.Over 65% of all fatal single car crashes are alcohol related.Over 36% percent of all adult pedestrian accidents are alcohol related.80% of all fatal alcohol related auto crashes occur between 8 pm and 8 am.36% of all adult pedestrian accidents involve an intoxicated pedestrian.Every year, 708,000 persons are injured in alcohol related crashes; 74, 000 of those people suffer serious injuries.About 2,000 people are hurt each day in alcohol related accidents.Two million alcohol impaired driving collisions occur each year.Of every 200 to 2,000 alcohol impaired drivers on the road, only one is arrested. Therefore, the probability of getting caught is slim. Of those who are caught, very few receive a serious penalty.The average alcohol impaired driver arrested on the highway has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .20%, double the level for presumed intoxication in most states; that is 14 drinks of 86% proof liquor (or 14 beers) in 4 hours for a 180 lb. man.Between 7 pm and 3 am on weekends, 10% of all drivers are legally impaired, in some parts of the country.Most Americans drink alcohol. Over 80% admit to driving after drinking.Relatively few problem drinkers, about 7% of the driving population, account for over 66% of all alcohol related fatal accidents.When drinkers are at the presumed level of intoxication, the risk of causing an accident is six times greater than for non-drinking drivers.http://alcoholism.about.com/
Chris Ogle 5 years, 5 months ago
howSTUPIDcanYOUget (Anonymous) says: your town is extremely dangerous and filled with incredibly horrible drivers_______Hey STUPID......People lost lives... show some respect
tumbilweed 5 years, 5 months ago
thanks for the enlightening comment, stupid.
Glen Moore 5 years, 5 months ago
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/20_KS/2007/20_KS_2007.htm. oops here is the address.
Glen Moore 5 years, 5 months ago
"howSTUPIDcanYOUget (Anonymous) says: your town is extremely dangerous and filled with incredibly horrible drivers::::::."This is not a dangrous town and like the artical says this is out of the norm. There are fatilitie accidents all over the state. 2007 there were 416 fatalities in Kansas 27 of which occurred in douglas county. We do not even make the top 10 in most dangrous counties in kansas. Sedgwick countie holds that with 39 fatalities. We do not even hold the nation top 10. It is unfair to say that this is a dangrous city or even county to live in. I love it and wouldn't move. Check out this link to see where we stand. This years percentages are not available just yet due to not being year end (or I just havent looked hard enough) This will give you all info you need. As I look out my office window right now I see an accident on k-10 east of lawrence. It is sad I hope everyone is alright. :(
lostcreek 5 years, 5 months ago
About 3 years ago my aunt was in accident about in the same place and a person was , in the wrong lane he was killed she was very lucky. I well not drive because it looks like a 4 lane road poeple fround out of town just go for it.
howSTUPIDcanYOUget 5 years, 5 months ago
your town is extremely dangerous and filled with incredibly horrible drivers...................
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