Wrecks cause one death, injuries

One fatal accident and several injury accidents were reported over the weekend, many of them related to icy conditions.

A Missouri man was killed and a Garnett man injured in a two-vehicle accident at 3:44 p.m. Saturday on U.S. 169 about two miles south of the U.S. 59-U.S. 169 junction south of Garnett.

According to an online report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, a 2007 Chevy pickup driven by Jay George Shanks, 53, Liberty, Mo., was northbound on U.S. 169, crossed the center line into the southbound lane and was struck by a 1999 Dodge pickup driven by Kyle A. Kettler, 27, Garnett.

Shanks, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead. Kettler, who also was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to Anderson County Hospital with unspecified injuries.

Icy roads caused an injury accident at 9:14 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 169 about two miles south of Greeley, when a 2006 Ford truck driven by Ricky D. Ridout, 54, Humboldt, lost control, went into the south ditch and overturned, according to the highway patrol’s report.

Ridout who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to Anderson County Hospital.

A passenger, Barbara A. Ridout, 59, Humboldt, was taken to the Anderson County Hospital with a possible injury. She was wearing a seatbelt.

Another injury accident was reported on U.S. 59 north of Garnett when a 2007 Ford driven by Jason L. Mills, 29, Garnett, struck a deer. Mills, who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to Anderson County Hospital with a possible injury, according to the highway patrol.

Two injury accidents were reported in Franklin County on I-35 by the state highway patrol. The first accident at 8:50 a.m. Saturday was about two miles north of Wellsville at milepost 200, and the second was at 5:34 p.m. Sunday just north of Williamsburg at milepost 171.

According to an online report from the highway patrol, a 2003 Jeep was southbound on I-35 and lost control in the right lane, sliding to the left lane and striking a 1996 Buick on the passenger side.

The driver of the Jeep, Max E. Cook, 58, Gladstone, Mo., and a passenger, Betty S. Cook, 57, Gladstone, were wearing seatbelts and were not injured.

The driver of the Buick, Ryan P. Ralston, 55, Overland Park, was taken to Ransom Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released. He also was wearing a seatbelt.

The second accident occurred when, according to the highway patrol, a 2005 Ford truck driven by Edward J. Plikuhn, 56, Severy, came upon another vehicle with no tail lights and made an evasive move that caused the truck to roll several times and end up on its top in the ditch.

Plikuhn, who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to Ransom Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reported a number of non-injury accidents and a few accidents that resulted in minor injuries. Of those, several involved vehicles that lost control in icy conditions and slid off the roads or into guardrails.

Sheriff’s Lt. Jimmie Dean said I-35 is a common area for accidents, mostly because people drive too fast for conditions.

“Slow down, look at your road conditions and drive accordingly,” he said.

Herald staff writer Jodie Garcia can be e-mailed at jgarcia@ottawaherald.com.