Oct 25, 2021

7 dead in crashes on Kansas highways over past three days

Posted Oct 25, 2021 3:30 PM
First responders on the scene of a fatal crash Friday in Republic County-photo KHP
First responders on the scene of a fatal crash Friday in Republic County-photo KHP

REPUBLIC COUNTY—It was a deadly weekend on Kansas highways. First responders worked seven fatal accidents across the state over the past three days.

Just after 11a.m. Friday in Republic County, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Ford van driven by Calvin L. Ricketts, 62, Wichita, was northbound on U.S. 81 six miles north of Belleville.

The van rear-ended a 1999 Peterbilt semi driven by Andries Adriaan Serdyn,  53, Scandia, who was attempting a right hand turn onto Fir Road.  Ricketts was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home. EMS transported Serdyn to the Republic County Hospital. Serdyn was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Just before 8p.m. Friday in Phillips County, the sheriff's office reported a 2008 Nissan passenger vehicle driven by Brian Martin, 39, of Smith Center, was traveling in the 200 block of East Limestone Road.

He swerved to miss a deer,  lost control of the vehicle, which went airborne and rolled.  A passenger in the vehicle, Lucas Martin, 42, of Phillipsburg, was ejected from the vehicle. 

Brian Martin was able to call 911 but was unable to give an exact location. He succumbed to his injuries prior to emergency personnel locating the crash.

Disoriented, Lucas Martin wandered from the crash scene, but was eventually located by a family member. An ambulance and transported him to Phillips County Hospital. 

Shortly after 1:30a.m. Saturday, 1993 Ford Bronco driven by John Carlos Serrano, 17, Bird City, was westbound on U.S. 36 a quarter mile east of Bird City, according to the KHP.

The SUV began to pass a semi to the left while the roadway curved. The vehicle continued straight, left the roadway into the south ditch and collided with a concrete barrier.

EMS transported Serrano to St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Just after 4;30p.m. on Saturday, Lance Michael Martin, 41, Salina died in an accident in Ellsworth County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Impala driven by Martin was was westbound on Kansas 156 just west of Avenue D.

The Chevy traveled across the center line and struck an eastbound 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by Kevin Lee Cooper, 49, Longview Washington. 

After the vehicles collided, the Peterbilt semi traveled back into the westbound lane and was struck by a 2007 Peterbilt semi driven by Michael John Campbell, 53, of Tescott.

Martin was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Parsons Funeral Home. Cooper was not transported for treatment. Campbell was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Early Sunday, two people included a northwest Kansas man died in two separate accidents in northwest Kansas.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 3a.m. a 2014 Hyundai Sonata driven by Dalton Charles Hall, 20, Savoy, Illinois, was westbound on 8th Street in Hays at a high rate of speed.

The driver failed to obey the stop sign at the U.S. 183 Alternate. The car continued westbound over the embankment, went airborne, impacted the ground at the bottom of the embankment and flipped end-over-end coming to rest on its top.

A passenger Jacob Ray Rivera, 19, Selma, California, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Brocks Funeral Home. He was a student at NW Kansas Technical College.

EMS transported Hall and two additional passengers Chelsy Mendoza, 20, and Victoria Angelica Borrego, 21, both of Selma, California to Hays Medical Center. Hall, Mendoza and Borrego, were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Just after 4a.m. Sunday in Sheridan County, a 1994 Ford Ranger driven by Vernon J. Rietcheck, 79, Hoxie, was westbound on U.S. 24 eight miles east of Hoxie. The driver attempted to make a left turn onto Kansas 188.

The pickup missed the roadway to the west, traveled off the concrete culvert and to rest facing south, high centered on the concrete culvert. 

Rietcheck was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Brocks North Hill Chapel. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Just after 2a.m. Sunday, a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Gary Lee Miser, 52, Emporia, was northbound on U.S. 75 three miles south of Burlington. The pickup crossed the center line. A southbound 1999 Toyota 4Runner driven by Brandon Wayne Darbyshire, 19, Eureka, and the pickup collided in the middle of the roadway.

A passenger in the 4Runner identified as Griffin Thomas Lamb, 18, Lenexa, was pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported Miser and a passenger in the 4Runner Thomas Gordon Greig, 20, Prairie Village, to the Coffey County Hospital and and Darbyshire to Stormont Vail in Topeka. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.