JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Johnson County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Jeep Liberty driven by Joselin M. Laynez Flores, 21, from Guatemala, was southbound on Interstate 35 just north of Johnson Drive in Merriam in lane number one.
The Jeep rear-ended a 2007 Chevy Equinox driven by Paula S. Baird, 25, Kansas City, Kansas, who was stalled from a previous accident.
After impact the Jeep drifted and struck struck a pedestrian identified as Benjamin D. Van Buskirk, 17, Olathe, who ran across lanes of traffic to offer assistance. Van Buskirk had been a passenger in a 2008 Honda CRV driven by Ammar M. Aljishi, 17, Spring Hill, that was stopped on the right shoulder of the highway.
Van Buskirk was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical. EMS transported Baird to KU Medical Center. Laynez Flores and a passenger in the Jeep were not injured and properly restrained, according to the KHP.