Man dies after ATV collides with deer, woman remains critical

Posted: January 31, 2015 - 4:40am
Updated: February 3, 2015 - 2:38am

Updated report

The 22-year-old man involved in an ATV crash near Vinland died as a result of his injuries on Sunday, according to Douglas County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Lieutenant Steve Lewis.

Hospital officials at the University of Kansas Hospital tell my reporting partners at the Lawrence Journal-World that the 19-year-old female remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Original report

Two people were critically injured when their ATV struck a deer in rural Douglas County early Saturday.

Map of the approximate crash scene
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A driver found the ATV, on its side, in the middle of North 700 Road around 4:25 Saturday morning and called 911 for help. The crash was located between East 1600 Road and East 1650 Road, near Vinland.

The scene is approximately two and a half miles north of Baldwin City or approximately five miles south of Lawrence.

Deputies were first to arrive on the scene and found a man and a woman, both unconscious, after being thrown from the ATV.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical triaged both of the injured to be in critical condition. First responders from Baldwin City Fire and Lawrence Fire are also on scene.

A 22-year-old man was transported by ambulance to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. A 19-year-old woman was transported by ambulance to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas.

Life Star and other medical helicopters are grounded due to current weather conditions.

Overland Park Regional spokesperson Chris Hamele tells the Journal-World that the man remains in critical condition Saturday afternoon.

The woman is in serious condition according to Douglas County Sheriff's Office public information officer Steve Lewis.

Check back with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Lawrence woman killed in rural Douglas County accident

Posted: April 11, 2014 - 2:49am
Updated: April 11, 2014 - 11:18am

Google Earth image of the area
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Deputies say a 68-year-old Lawrence woman died at the scene of a single vehicle accident in rural Douglas County early Friday.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office Lt. Steve Lewis tells my reporting partners at the Lawrence Journal-World, deputies responding on the crash just before 2 a.m. and discovered the woman's body about 30 yards from a wrecked 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass.

The accident occurred in the 600 block of U.S. Highway 56, near the unincorporated community of Globe.

Deputies believe the vehicle was traveling westbound at high speed and went into the north ditch for unknown reasons.

The car then struck a pasture driveway and went airborne, about 20 feet in the air, tearing down a power line. The driver was ejected through the passenger window as the car flipped end over end. The woman was the only occupant of the car and was not wearing a seatbelt.


The accident was reported by a passerby who spotted the car crashed off of the highway.

Related report:

Lawrence Journal-World report
Operation 100 News on the Lawrence Journal-World

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Fully engulfed house fire in rural Douglas County

Posted: July 19, 2013 - 4:46am
Updated: July 19, 2013 - 5:13am

Aerial view of the area from Google Earth
Mike Frizzell - Operation 100 News

At 4:06 a.m. Palmyra Township fire was dispatched to respond on house fire at 358 E. 2073 Road. 

The address is about three miles northeast of Baldwin City.

Initial reports indicate that the resident returned home to find his residence on fire and called 911.

A Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter advised dispatchers that the structure was fully engulfed, just one minute after firefighters were dispatched. The highway patrol's helicopter had been in Johnson County assisting in the search for a man who ran from a stolen vehicle on Interstate 35 near the Gardner-Edgerton area. 

The helicopter pilot told dispatchers that his earlier area search was about nine miles to the east and they could see the 'glow' starting around 4 a.m.. When the helicopter was available from their search, they went to investigate the glow and learned that the fire had already been reported to Douglas County authorities.

Fire crews arrived within five minutes to confirm that the home was fully engulfed and crews would be using a defensive attack to keep it from spreading.

Palmyra Township fire requested a county-wide tender (water tanker) response and assistance from several township fire departments, Baldwin City fire and Wellsville Fire from Franklin County.

No injuries have been reported.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Traffic Alert: US-56 in Douglas County

KDOT will begin work on eastbound and westbound lanes of US-56 today, Monday, September 19th. Traffic will be reduced to one lane between the US-59 junction to the Douglas/Osage County line for chip seal overlay application. Crews will be working during daylight hours, Monday through Friday.

Traffic will be directed through the work zone using flaggers and a pilot car operation. KDOT advises drivers to expect delays of up to 15 minutes. A news release from KDOT states that "when drivers enter the project work zone on US-56 from adjacent roadways, they must not enter onto either highway until they are directed by the flaggers/pilot car."

Reduced speed limits will be in place and a 12-foot lane width restriction throughout the project work zone will also be enforced during the daylight working hours.

The chip seal overlay application project is scheduled to be completed by Friday, September 23, weather permitting.

Information provided by the Kansas Department of Transportation.