A Topeka man is in "satisfactory condition," according to a Stormont-Vail Hospital spokeswoman, after suffering injuries in a head-on, two-vehicle accident Tuesday morning on the South Lawrence Trafficway, just south of Clinton Parkway.
Lauro Salas Garcia, 51, was taken by air ambulance to Stormont-Vail in Topeka after his Chevrolet Silverado collided head-on with another vehicle about 5:40 a.m.
According to Douglas County Sheriff Sgt. Steve Lewis, a Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Jakob Devore, 21, Ottawa, was heading west when his vehicle drifted into the eastbound lane, striking Garcia's truck. The Silverado overturned, trapping Garcia.
Devore declined medical attention.
Comments
bergerfry 5 months, 3 weeks ago
It will be much safer when they make that road a 4 lane, but that won't happen until the extension gets underway, which should be real soon. That stretch of highway is very dangerous, much worse than K10 on the east side of Lawrence.
headdoctor 5 months, 3 weeks ago
All the construction in the world is not going to save drivers from their own actions. Texting, half asleep, DUI, driving right on through stop signs or lights. I am surprised there aren't more accidents on and around the SLT.
Ron Holzwarth 5 months, 3 weeks ago
"All the construction in the world is not going to save drivers from their own actions."
Excuse me. Change the ending by adding "and the actions of others."
We should always remember that we don't only hold only our own and our passenger's lives in our hands when we drive, but also everyone else on the road is trusting us to drive safely.
Is their trust misplaced?
hipper_than_hip 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Are there plans to make the western half of the SLT four lanes? I know that was the original configuration but I figured that ship had sailed.
midwestmom 5 months, 3 weeks ago
More info is available.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/20254147/deputies-investigate-head-on-collision-in-lawrence
blindrabbit 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Several worst places on this road: (1) at intersection going into YSL and arboretum, (2) 2 overpasses at Clinton Parkway/K-10 crossover, (3) merge lane going from Clinton Parkway onto K-10 Northbound, lane on curve making approaching vehicles difficult to see (4) afore mentioned overpasses on curves with rough pavement.
skinny 5 months, 3 weeks ago
As usual we have to read another paper or TV news web page to find out what happened in Lawrence. The Kansas City news outlet even had picture and names. Not in the Lawrence Journal World! We need a real newspaper in this town!!
JackMcKee 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Once again, the local paper gets scooped by a news organization 40 miles away. Sad.
KiferGhost 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Do people read the jw for news? That is as funny as the so called newspaper. With all the shady stuff going on at city hall and with the developers and we are suppose to believe they are serious about covering the news?
brewmaster 5 months, 3 weeks ago
As usual and once again, the LJW exercises discretion and reports the known facts at the time of posting considerably before other agencies report on the incident. In addition, the LJW possesses the integrity and objectivity to allow bone-heads readers such as 'skinny', 'JackMcKee' and others to post derogatory remarks about it.
cheeseburger 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Nearly four hours after the fact, and still no update? How can you defend this paper and their lack of effort in providing local coverage? It ought to be embarrassed that KCTV5 and 41News are providing more in-depth coverage of Lawrence events. Heck, were it not for Mike Frizzell, there wouldn't have been anything in the local rag at all!
Mike Frizzell 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you for the kind words Cheesburger. That's what I am here for.
cheeseburger 5 months, 3 weeks ago
We appreciate your reporting of events in the area. It's just sad that the LJW has become so totally dependent upon you, and does not cover or seek out news stories on their own. I remember the good ole days when a reporter and Richard Gwin would race to a scene to obtain information and photos. Guess Richard has been reassigned to shoot more artsy-fartsy stuff these days.
JackMcKee 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Brewmaster has some low standards for journalism. Just the kind of person you'd imagine defending the lowsy reporting by the local paper.
Clickker 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Deputies says 21-year old Jakob Devore, of Ottawa, KS, was heading west on K-10 when his car drifted into the eastbound lanes. One car was able to avoid his car and spun out.
However, a vehicle behind it, a Chevrolet pickup, driven by Lauro Salas Garcia, 51, of Topeka, struck Devore's car head on
cheeseburger 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you for more on the story that the local rag wasn't able (or interested) in obtaining.
shaunepec 5 months, 3 weeks ago
We were interested and it's now been updated. On our end, for what it's worth, we have to verify the information with the sheriff's office before we can print any more than the basics.
Shaun LJW
cheeseburger 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I understand that, Shaun, but why are other news outlets able to verify information so much more quickly than the LJW? It's difficult for me to understand how a media outlet 50 miles away can get the info more quickly than an outlet whose own backyard the incident occurred. It would behoove the LJW to either admit that 1) this type of coverage is not a priority, or 2) you have cut staff to the point whereby you simply cannot cover the area adequately, or both. The continual shift of blame for inadequate local coverage by the LJW is growing old.
shaunepec 5 months, 3 weeks ago
cheeseburger, What I would guess happened here is that an employee from one of the other outlets was in the area when this happened. I believe they also had a helicopter out monitoring traffic.
We saw a story posted just an hour after the accident, with names, which is highly unusual. Usually, police will provide that to us hours after the incident.
So, it looks like someone was in the right spot at the right time to be able to get something up so quickly, or perhaps knew someone involved. If you weren't on the scene, you have to wait to get in touch with police, who may or may not have been at the scene, and may or may not have information to give out. That usually takes several hours.
Not trying to make excuses, but trying to give an understanding of how we receive information.
Hope that helps explain it some.
Shaun LJW
cheeseburger 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I could accept that hypothesis if it was but an occasional occurrence, but you guys are constantly being scooped by other media outlets. It's sad, but true. Additionally, the helicopter is typically not hovering over Lawrence, so apparently people at other outlets are paying attention to what is happening in the area. I've heard staff has been cut at the LJW, and those still there are overworked. Maybe that's it, or maybe it's just no longer a priority. Regardless, I don't think it's the process of the obtaining and dissemination of the information that is leading to the LJW being scooped on a consistent basis. That said, I'm willing to bet it's a Dolph thing and not a Shaun thing, so thanks for the reply.
parrothead8 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Head-on collision between a Mitsubishi Eclipse and a Chevy Silverado, and the driver of the Eclipse declines medical attention? That would not have been my first guess.
hipper_than_hip 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I went past this at 6:10AM, and the Eclipse wasn't as mangled as you might think. The grille and hood were pretty messed up but the rest of the car looked good. The upside down truck didn't look so great.
lunacydetector 5 months, 3 weeks ago
that road was supposed to originally been constructed as a 4-lane until the obstructionists started the lawsuits.
grimpeur 5 months, 3 weeks ago
And it was originally to have been south of the Wakarusa until somebody decided it would be better (for somebody) on 32nd St.
Neither the rationale for 32nd nor the identity of those who pushed for the change has ever been given, but the peculiar insistence on a 32nd St. is the reason it hasn't been built.
Shame, too. Because if we'd stuck with the original plan, it could have been built 20 years ago.
What's your point?
i1mred 5 months, 3 weeks ago
No it was originally to be on 34th Street.. then the tree huggers got it all messed up. The turn pike interchange was to be on the Lecompton road but got moved also. It now lines up with 59hwy north of Lawrence and needs to be completed. Lets get this road completed and remove all the at grade intersections.
KiferGhost 5 months, 3 weeks ago
And then we would need cable barriers and walls because people still were drifting into the other lanes even with four lanes of road. How about we start by teaching people how to drive?
buckjennings 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Amazing that the 50s mindset is still with us. Nothing like paving over everything in a vain effort to get somewhere 5 minutes faster.
i_read_things 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Was the accident Monday (just before 2:30 p.m.) at 6th and Rockledge reported? Saw a car overturned, several police cars, ambulances, but no story ...
shaunepec 5 months, 3 weeks ago
i_read_things; I was out there at the 6th and Rockledge accident yesterday. It looked pretty bad, as the truck overturned, but police reported minor injuries.
We tweeted it out as it happened, and had a pic or two, but didn't write up a story because there weren't serious injuries.
Shaun LJW
heatherlee 5 months, 3 weeks ago
yeah i was wondering about the wreck at 6th and rockledge as well!!
08Champs 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Eastbound white pickup illegally turned north - was hit by tan Prius travelling westbound in north lane (Prius had the right of way on green light). Pickup was "launched" (Channel 6 terminology) onto driver's side, and struck another vehicle on Rockledge (waiting for light). Driver of truck extricated and transported. Prius driver transported. Both reportedly with minor injuires. MY OPINION!!! Driver of pickup must have been traveling rather quickly through light and turning sharply in order for a Prius to turn it on it's side. I'm glad they're both ok, but the pickup driver should be slapped once they heal up. Was making that turn worth a few peoples lives? Of course not. This is one of those stupid things that should result in license suspension and mandatory driving class. Lets see if we can fix stupid.
heatherlee 5 months, 3 weeks ago
or the chase in east lawrence i heard about
shaunepec 5 months, 3 weeks ago
We'll have something on the chase from yesterday afternoon up shortly.
Shaun LJW
KiferGhost 5 months, 3 weeks ago
In the end it is just one of many automobile accidents that occur in Lawrence. The way people drive in this town, since there is little law enforcement, what else do we expect?
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