Jace Garrett Kinzie, 22, of Atchison has been identified as the victim of a fatal two-car accident early Monday morning about milepost 137.7 of the Kansas Turnpike.
According to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol turnpike unit, Kinzie was driving south in the northbound lane when his 1993 Oldsmobile collided head-on with a 1999 Chevrolet SUV driven by Timothy D. Meirowsky, 48, of El Dorado.
Meirowsky was airlifted to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita for treatment. He was reported to be in fair condition this afternoon.
Rescue workers and emergency medical personnel from Emporia extricated the victims from their vehicles.
Both men were alone in their vehicles when the accident happened, about 4:20 a.m. Monday. They were wearing seat belts, KHP reported.
Both vehicles were towed from the scene by Flint Hills Towing.
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
this is sad.
October 20, 2008 at 7:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
What a waste. I wonder how in the world he got going the wrong way on the turnpike? We'll never know since it was a fatal mistake on his part. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
October 21, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gazette_reader (anonymous) says...
I was trying to figure that out too, madpoet. The nearest exit north of Emporia is 20 miles out, which means that Kinzie would have driven about 10 miles in the wrong direction. I'd like to think that the toll booth worker would have noticed, but I don't know if all of the toll booths have those automatic ticket dispensers now?
He could have turned in one of those emergency vehicle pass-throughs.
Regardless, it's terrible tragedy.
October 21, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
drumma (anonymous) says...
I drove through the accident scene on my way to work, it was horrible. KTA needs to find out how he was able to go the wrong way and solve this problem because it's obviously easy to do. This needs to be fixed immediately before it happens again.
October 21, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I lived across the street from Tim Meirowski in the late 60's and early 70's in the 1300 blk of Woodland Street in Emporia, I hope he has a full recovery.
I'd be willing to wager the young man turned around on the Northbound lane to go back towards one of the turn around openings in the center barrier. My sympathy to his family.
October 21, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Was this North of McD? Could victim got confused and turned around there?
October 21, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I believe that would be a 1.7 miles North of the service area which is at the 136 mile marker if I remember right.
October 21, 2008 at 8:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Free4all (anonymous) says...
That could easily happen at the rest stop. I have seen it happen on I-35 and the new industrial exit across from 18th street.
October 21, 2008 at 8:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
drumma (anonymous) says...
It couldn't have happened at the Emporia rest stop because the boy was heading south and Tim was heading north and they were both a couple of miles past the rest area. If he turned across the median in the emergency turnaround he would have been going the right way. The only thing I can think of is that he had been going the wrong way all the way from the Topeka rest area. The other solution is that he turned I can' t believe that no one saw him going the wrong way that entire time though. This is very puzzling to me and I'm very concerned because I drive that route everyday.
October 23, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hluis (anonymous) says...
Hey! I am Jace's cousin and I would like to set the story straight. Jace left Wichita at midnight heading north on the turnpike. He had pulled over at mile marker 134 which is are few miles from the rest stop by Emporia and a Highway Patrol stopped to check on why he was pulled over. He said he was fine, but had pulled over because he was tired. Then about 4:18 two hours later a call came in that someone was driving southbound on the northbound lanes and at 4:20 the accident happened at mile marker 137. The question that you and all of his family would like to know is why he was driving the wrong direction and what he did for two hours? But we may never know. I just wanted to let you know that my aunt and uncle express their sympathy to Tim and his family.
October 24, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Hope you and your family can find peace hluis. Sorry for your loss.
October 25, 2008 at 12:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
loram (anonymous) says...
Hey! I am Tim's wife and I want to set the record straight - once and for all. While Jace was pulled over on the side of the Turnpike, he was huffing 3M dust spray. The autopsy report released 1-25-09 details the drugs in his system. There is no longer any question why he was driving the wrong way: he was high as a kite. Here is my question - why do people who are so selfish manage to hurt innocent people? My husband was on his way to work. He helps the people who work with him by picking them up in our Suburban and carpooling. That is the kind of guy he is. Tim will NEVER fully recover from Kinzie's actions. Five months later, he is still not able to work. People cannot even image the financial mess Kinzie's actions have left our family in.
March 5, 2009 at 9:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )