Semitrailer accident sends one to hospital
Douglas County Sheriff Ken McGovern discusses an accident south of Lawrence involving two semitrailers on U.S. 59 and Douglas County 458 around 3 p.m. Wednesday. One man was flown to Kansas University Hospital after being ejected from a truck during the accident. Enlarge video
Two semitrailers collided near N. 1000 Road and U.S. 59, south of Lawrence.
Two semitrailers collided near N. 1000 Road and U.S. 59, south of Lawrence.
A man was flown by air ambulance to Kansas University Hospital with life-threatening injuries after two semitrailers collided on U.S. Highway 59 south of Lawrence Wednesday afternoon.
Sgt. Steve Lewis, a Douglas County Sheriff's spokesman, said the crash occurred just before 3 p.m. when the driver of a westbound semitrailer carrying cement mix on North 1000 Road, or Wells Overlook Road, was struck by a northbound semitrailer carrying water and farm supplies.
Lewis said the farm semitrailer, owned by Guenther Brothers Farms of Lawrence, sustained significant damage, and the driver, a man, was ejected from the vehicle. He was flown via a LifeStar helicopter ambulance to Kansas University Hospital in Kansas City, Kan.
"He was conscious and alert when we got to him," Lewis said.
Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical spokeswoman Eve Tolefree said medics believed the man's injuries were life threatening. Lewis said the driver of the other truck was not injured.
Tolefree said firefighters also responded due leaks of oil, diesel fuel, and an unknown chemical from both vehicles.
U.S. Highway 59 was shut down likely for several hours and reopened at about 9:30 p.m.
Lewis said Wednesday night a preliminary investigation indicates the westbound semitrailer's driver failed to stop at the intersection. However, officers are still investigating the crash.
Sheriff's officials did not identify the injured driver.
Comments
Ron Holzwarth 11 months, 3 weeks ago
This is a tragedy in that it has occurred only a few months before new Highway 59 is completed. With two lanes in each direction, an accident like this would not have been possible, barring a crossover accident.
There have been far too many accidents that have occurred just prior to the completion of road projects that would have prevented them from occurring in the first place.
cheeseburger 11 months, 3 weeks ago
+1
superswagg56 11 months, 3 weeks ago
No I don't!! I just had a problem with what I perceived as a an inappropriate use of the Life Flight because a child got a NON LIFE THREATENING bump on the head!! This situation is truly Life and Death.
firebob0910 11 months, 3 weeks ago
That was not a waste of their time you never know what kind of injuries they have there are some places that fly for a heart attack I would rather them fly then see a kid die because the didn't on top of that tax money dose not fund that the hospital dose they are a private owned company that is contracted by the city
Firefighter10 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Would it have been inappropriate if it was your child? I don't think so. And what exactly is your experience in traumatic injuries either on the medical or firefighting side? Oh, none you say? Then keep your idiotic, misinformed opinions to yourself!
RoeDapple 11 months, 3 weeks ago
This is the stuff truck driver's nightmares are made of. Wishing complete recovery for all involved.
rockchalker52 11 months, 3 weeks ago
This is just down the road from me. I'll be really relieved when this intersection isn't there any more. Hope the outcome is better than it looks.
MarcoPogo 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Since you live in the area, will cars be able to get onto the Wells Overlook road at all from 59?
rockchalker52 11 months, 3 weeks ago
possibly coming from the south, but not from the north. It looks like eastbound on 458 is allowed to turn south onto 59 towards Peasant Grove.
rockchalker52 11 months, 3 weeks ago
make that westbound. Derp!
blindrabbit 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Why so many accidents at this intersection. Views from all directions are clear ,and it is obvious from signage and usage that the East-West traffic must come to a stop and yield..
toe 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Although not all, there are many poorly trained semi drivers.
Pywacket 11 months, 3 weeks ago
No kidding! It's bad enough if drivers of cars pull that kind of a stunt, but for a semi driver to do it? Horribly careless, unless there was a brake failure or some other situation that would absolve him of responsibility. Until we know otherwise, that's always possible.
cg22165 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Doesn't apply in this case, but I suspect some of the accidents here happen because some people attempt to use the southbound, right (west) turn lane to pass (someone waiting to make a left turn perhaps), while at the same time, someone heading east has crept past the stop sign, into the path that would exist if the right turn lane were actually a lane of traffic.
http://goo.gl/maps/sYOO
Firefighter10 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Thank you!! I live in the area and almost every time I turn left onto 458 some impatient jerk zooms past me in the TURN ONLY lane!
JackMcKee 11 months, 3 weeks ago
The Life Flight crew has been earning their paychecks lately.
DillonBarnes 11 months, 3 weeks ago
I'm sure you're not implying that they don't their paychecks normally, so don't take this as directed at you.
Many people may not realize how active LifeStar actually is. Just listening to the scanner, you may hear the many times LifeStar is called but then turned back around, or the times when an incident isn't reported in the paper. They are also used to transport patients between area hospitals. I'm sure in their off time they are kept busy with training, cleaning, etc.
MrsG 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Right now that intersection is near the ongoing construction. The cones and flashing lights and random vehicles parked on the side of the road make it visually distracting. Earlier today I saw an dangerous situation at that same intersection. A east-bound cement truck gunned it and pulled out in front of a car going south on 59 HWY. The car had slowed and was turning E (left) onto 458. The cement truck was at the stop sign and did not have the right away. If the car hadn't yielded, there would have been an accident.
superswagg56 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Prayers are with the families. May the Lord be with them
rduhrich 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Deadly Hwy 59 is still claiming victims. There needs to be stronger safety measures installed until the construction is finished not only at the site of this accident, but also at the intersection of N 650 Rd (County Road 460) and at the Hwy 56 intersection. I drive Hwy 59 and all of these are still very dangerous intersections. Let's not let them wait until someone else gets killed.
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