A 43-year-old Topeka man died after he was injured Saturday evening in a fall from the back bumper of a Jeep on private property in northwestern Douglas County, sheriff’s officials said Tuesday.
Sgt. Steve Lewis, a sheriff’s spokesman, said the man, Mark Coker, and an acquaintance were riding on the Jeep’s bumper about 8:10 p.m. in the 1800 block of East 56 Road. The location is north of U.S. Highway 40 and near Big Springs. Lewis said other passengers were in the Jeep.
The man was taken by ambulance to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka, where he later died from his injuries, Lewis said. According to a Legacy.com obituary, Coker died Sunday from a severe head injury.
Lewis said sheriff’s officers are conducting an ongoing investigation into the accident.
According to the Shawnee Heights school district, Coker was a longtime district employee and most recently worked as a high school custodian and substitute bus driver.
Comments
superswagg56 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Why wasn't he LIFE FLIGHTED? This seems MUCH MORE SERIOUS than the bump on the head the 4 year old had yesterday!! Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
asixbury 11 months, 2 weeks ago
You obviously don't have a kid. Otherwise, you would understand why they would life-flight a 4 year old with a head injury. Perhaps the hospital this man was taken to has the ability to treat his injuries, whereas the hospital in Lawrence does not for young children with head injuries.
DillonBarnes 11 months, 2 weeks ago
There are various reasons why the air ambulance may not fly or be chosen. Decisions are made on the fly by highly trained emergency personnel.
08Champs 11 months, 2 weeks ago
You really need to reign it in - I'm sure you don't want to appear to be one of those posters that assumes they know all the facts about an event they didn't witness. And that they are cavalier about the well-being of a small child.
middlemgmt 11 months, 2 weeks ago
You are wrong. Let the medics do their job. They know what needs life flight and what doesn't. Your continued comments regarding this are obnoxious.
middlemgmt 11 months, 2 weeks ago
You are wrong. Let the medics do their job. They know what needs life flight and what doesn't. Your continued comments regarding this are obnoxious.
superswagg56 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Had 5 children. Have 12 Grandchildren. I just think it was an over reaction. I also believe that people must be in good financial standing or have hellacious insurance to afford Life Flights. I don't know about you people but I can't afford $10,000 +. Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
08Champs 11 months, 2 weeks ago
You don't know what happened, so you can't judge whether anyone over reacted. If the hospital kept the boy for tests for 24 hours, then there were some medical concerns being addressed. And since it's not on your tab, let it go. If you need to end every post with "I could be wrong" then you probably are.
racerx 11 months, 2 weeks ago
"If you need to end every post with 'I could be wrong' then you probably are."
LOL...classic! Touché my friend, Touché!
Topple 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Didn't you read the rules before posting, superswagg? Opinions and conjecture are not allowed on LJW....unless it conforms to the mob.
Topple 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Sorry, I forgot to insert links to the 400 articles with people blaming Koch Industries for everything from the great depression to nuclear armament in North Korea.
08Champs 11 months, 2 weeks ago
One can only hope that an opinion is formed based on relevant information and accurate information. But I can see how the discussion of the transport of an injured child is "relevant" to the Koch postings......sure.
thatguyoverthere 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I was listening to the radio during that call. The helicopter based in Lawrence was not in town and the next closest was too far out to be of use. It was quicker for them to just drive to Topeka since they were on the county line already.
marcirae18 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I was listening to the radio at the time of this call and with the Lawrence Life Star not available it was a 40 minute eta for the next available helicopter! With an eta of 40 minutes from Kansas City and then another 40 minute helicopter back to Kansas City, the Paramedics thought it was faster for them to run emergency to the closest available trauma center in Topeka which is only 10-15 minutes away!
Also I am a parent of 2 children and the life flighting of that 4 year old with a possible head injury I would want the paramedics to do what ever they thought was best for my children! Obviously they thought their head injury was a little more serious than it was! Everyone needs to stop bad mouthing LDCFM for there decisions! Lawrence paramedics do an awesome job everyday! Keep up the good work LDCFM!!!!!!
JackMcKee 11 months, 2 weeks ago
maybe try riding in a seat next time? at 46 you should have more sense.
JackMcKee 11 months, 2 weeks ago
It's in the newspaper, Einstein.
parrothead8 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I guess that makes it okay to make a snot-nosed remark about a dead man. Stay classy.
DillonBarnes 11 months, 2 weeks ago
At the time of his post, the victim was reported as injured, not deceased.
DillonBarnes 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Irony:
Believing it is your business to tell someone else to mind their own business.
Pywacket 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Yeah, that's the kind of thing we might have done when we were 16 and out of our parents' sight. At 46?! Not so much...
Topple 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Hey, living on the edge. Beats dying of diabetic coma sitting in front of your television watching reality TV.
jerseygirlinks 11 months, 2 weeks ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Frankie8 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Maybe it was a farm vehicle taking workers out to the field and they didn't have room enough for everyone so two had to ride on the back bumper. I hope the man gets the treatment he needs. Could have been day workers.
JackMcKee 11 months, 2 weeks ago
if that's the case there should be a nice settlement coming his way
happypill4014 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Not if he is an illegal immigrant....
ivalueamerica 11 months, 2 weeks ago
your comment shows your ignorance and cruelty.
You know nothing about this man, who I went to High School with, and yet you feel free to use his death to make such remarks.
I suspect you are not a good person.
asixbury 11 months, 2 weeks ago
All of these remarks were made before he died. I'm sure they would have had a different tone if they had known he would pass. It is a tragedy.
Frankie8 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I am a good person. I was trying to figure it out on the information I had at the time I wrote the comment. If it is private property large enough to drive around it must be a farm. To me a vehicle full of people in that situatiion conjures up images of workers on the way to or from work.
OldEnuf2BYurDad 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Seems the driver is more to blame. The guy on the bumper probably thought the driver would take it slow.
OldEnuf2BYurDad 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I'm fully able to be serious.
OldEnuf2BYurDad 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I noticed that a couple of particularly annoying posters showed up on these boards right around the time the grade schools let our for the summer. Just saying.
somedude20 11 months, 2 weeks ago
46 is not a safe age to be these days. This dude biffed it at 46, that dude behind the Home Depot who was life flighted was 46. For any of you who are 46, they go in threes so be extra safe
gphawk89 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Yikes, that's me. Some lady did try very hard (twice) to take me out while I was riding home from work last week. She failed - maybe I dodged the "46" bullet.
Topple 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Unless you are trapped in 'Final Destination 14' where death will not simply give up it's claim on you! I'd avoid big rigs hauling logs and glass windows hanging from cranes.
megamanic 11 months, 2 weeks ago
might want to update this he passed on sun. - his obituarie is in the topeka paper
Pywacket 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Very sorry to read that, megamanic. Regardless of how sensible it was to ride on the bumper of a jeep, I'm sure everyone hoped he would recover and get another chance. Life can be harshly unforgiving.... I'm sure we have all done things that could have gone this wrong. I know I have!
Easy_Does_It 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Your advice was spot on just too late because the guy is dead.
Frankie8 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Please disregard previous remark. It seemed sensible when I wrote it, now....not so much. I am sorry that he died from the accident. Like Pywacket said most of us done things that could have turned out very wrong. Peace to his family and friends.
JackMcKee 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Condolences. They changed his age to 43.
pace 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I am sorry for the loss to his family and friends.
I would really appreciate editorial restraint , why use this forum for bizarre attacks when there is a report of a fatal accident?
SFBayhawk 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Hopefully people learn from real life, the province of legitimate news gathering, not well-wishing at a funeral home.
verity 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Very sad loss---condolences to family and friends.
Maybe not the time to say this, but on the other hand---when?
Having grown up in the country, looking back I feel lucky to still be alive and in one piece due to some of the things that I did. I have lost a number of relatives and friends to accidents because people took chances that probably seemed innocent at the time. Others have lost body parts in completely preventable accidents.
Please---think before you do something that could end badly. Mostly it probably won't, but one day it will.
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