Icy roads bring surge of accidents
Rollovers and fender-benders common
By Bobbi Mlynar
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel have spent much of the day working a spate of vehicles accidents on roads and highways throughout the area.
Several of the accidents involved vehicles’ rolling over, with the majority caused by the sleet and freezing rain that has fallen intermittently throughout the day.
Information about the accidents will be added as reports become available.
-- Donald James Ruckel, 20, of Foley, Mo., was taken to Newman Regional Health for treatment of injuries received in a one-vehicle accident at Milepost 140, about 10 miles east of Emporia, on I-35.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol report, the accident happened about 9:45 a.m. on Saturday. Ruckel was driving a 2007 Ford pickup truck north on I-35 when he lost control of the vehicle, which rolled over into a ditch.
Ruckel was wearing a safety restraint.
-- Samye R. Havercroft, 47, of San Angelo, Texas, was taken by Emporia-Lyon County Ambulance Service to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka after a one-vehicle accident at Milepost 135.8 on the Kansas Turnpike.
A report filed by the Kansas Highway Turnpike Patrol said that Havercroft was driving a 2001 Isuzu Trooper north in the right lane when it skidded on an icy bridge deck, left the roadway, struck a delineator post, and overturned.
Havercroft’s injuries were described as disabling.
A passenger in the vehicle, Michael L. Fairchile, 23, of San Angelo, also was taken by Emporia-Lyon County Ambulance Service to Stormont-Vail. His injuries were described as minor.
Both men were wearing safety restraints, the report stated.
justthinkin (anonymous) says...
Sad but true... even people from Texas know to not go to Newman Hospital for treatment..... responded by Lyon County, taken to Topeka.....enough said.
December 8, 2007 at 9:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madmom (anonymous) says...
I think school should be cancelled due to inclimate weather. The school district should not wait till its to late to close school
December 9, 2007 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
letsthinkhere (anonymous) says...
What do you mean people from texas know not to go to Newmans. You see there are diffrent levels of trauma centers. Unfortunatly emporia is a low level trauma. Topeka happens to have a higher level of trauma. If you only knew how hard the men and woman serving this community worked yesterday you would understand what its like to be proud of a community
December 9, 2007 at 1:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
i live near the east fire department and they seemed to be called so many times yesterday, they didnt get a break until late evening we have one of the best fire depts.
December 9, 2007 at 2:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bryanhart (anonymous) says...
in saturdays accident dec.8 involving samye havercroft samye is a woman and micheal fairchiles last name is fairchild. we here in texas have nothing but the highest regards for the people of kansas and their hospitals
December 13, 2007 at 2:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )