Douglas County Sheriff’s officers Thursday identified a 59-year-old rural Lawrence man as the driver injured Wednesday afternoon when two semitrailers collided south of Lawrence.

Sgt. Steve Lewis, a sheriff’s spokesman, said David L. Guenther was flown by LifeStar helicopter ambulance to Kansas University Hospital in Kansas City, Kan.

About 3 p.m. Wednesday, Guenther was driving north on U.S. Highway 59 in a semitrailer hauling water and farm supplies. His vehicle collided with a westbound semitrailer, which was carrying dry concrete mix on County Road 458, or Wells Overlook Road.

Lewis said a preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the westbound vehicle, William R. Powell, 62, of Warsaw, Mo., may not have stopped at a stop sign before entering the intersection. The crash is still under investigation. Powell was driving a vehicle owned by Sutton Trucking Inc. of Archie, Mo.

The crash was in an area of major road construction for expansion of U.S. Highway 59, Lewis said.

Guenther was ejected from his vehicle, owned by Guenther Brothers Farms of rural Lawrence. Lawrence fire officials said Thursday at the scene his injuries were believed to be life-threatening. Lewis said Guenther was conscious and alert when officers first responded.

Bob Hallinan, a KU Hospital spokesman, said Wednesday afternoon due to the hospital’s patient privacy policy he could not disclose Guenther’s condition.