Serious early morning accident closes I-35

Posted: November 2, 2011 - 12:24am
Updated: November 2, 2011 - 4:22am

Southbound I-35 south of 95th Street, Lenexa, KS. 12:30am
Photo of the scene from Kansas City Scout

The Kansas Highway Patrol and Lenexa Police Department investigated a two vehicle injury accident that forced the closure of Interstate 35 at 95th Street in Lenexa for about two hours. The accident is reported to have occurred at 12:17 a.m. near highway mile marker 223.6 southbound

The Kansas Highway Patrol's preliminary accident report states that both vehicles were southbound on Interstate 35 near 95th Street. One of the vehicles was traveling at a "high rate of speed" when it rear ended a second car. The striking vehicle sustained "heavy damage" while the other sustained "moderate damage."

Three people were involved in the accident. The driver of the striking vehicle was the only occupant of that vehicle and was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. That person has been identified as a 33-year-old, Olathe woman. Reports indicate that this woman was intoxicated and was wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident. The Highway Patrol continues to investigate her level of intoxication and says that charges are possible.

The two female occupants of the second vehicle were an 18-year-old driver and a 17-year-old passenger. Both sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the accident scene.

While investigating this accident, Lenexa Police say they were blocking traffic from entering southbound Interstate 35 from 95th Street, when a vehicle swerved around the parked Police vehicle and entered the accident scene. That vehicle was stopped by the Highway Patrol and the driver, a 24-year-old female from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. She was booked into the Johnson County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

The Highway Patrol reopened southbound lanes of I-35 at 2:20 a.m.

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