ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ALEEN RATZLAFF
Emergency medical technicians used the Jaws of Life to remove a Hillsboro resident pinned in a car early Thursday morning following a one-vehicle accident about a mile south of town.
Passenger Judy Krebs was trapped in a 1988 Oldsmobile after the car, driven by her husband, Matt, struck a utility pole on the west shoulder of Jade Road near 180th.
She sustained serious injuries that included multiple fractures of her right leg, a broken right shoulder blade, a broken right arm and a broken left ankle; Matt received a concussion and two broken ribs, said his father, Don Krebs of Hillsboro.
The accident occurred about 1 a.m., according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, which received a call at 1:20 a.m.
Don Krebs said the couple, who left their house to get a drink from Sonic sometime around 11 p.m., apparently decided to drive in the country before returning home.
They had left their sleeping 21/2-year-old daughter, Landry, in the care of Matt’s college-age sister Abi Krebs, who lives with them at 214 S. Lincoln.
As the couple approached the S-curve on Jade, Don Krebs said the car apparently slid on loose gravel and Matt, the driver, overcorrected and the car veered into the pole.
Matt reportedly was wearing a seat belt, but his wife was not.
“God’s angels were looking over them,” said Don Krebs, who works as director of retention/learning center at Tabor College.
His son, despite being disoriented after the accident, managed to walk to a nearby house to call for help.
Don Krebs said his son was taken by ambulance to Hillsboro Community Medical Center while efforts were made to rescue his daughter-in-law from the car.
She was taken to Hillsboro Community Medical Center and transferred to the Hutchinson Hospital later Thursday, where she underwent surgery.
Matt, employed as a caseworker at Prairie View’s Marion office, was released from the hospital Thurday.
Don Krebs said he expects Judy, who works part-time for Northview Developmental Services, will be released later this week.
He said he and his wife, Jeanie, have appreciated all those who responded so quickly after the accident was reported as well as those from Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church who have provided a lot of emotional and spiritual support for his family.
“The community, the church, the EMTs and the people at the hospital are so good,” Krebs said. “They’ve all helped so much.”
He added that Judy’s recovery will take some time, but he’s thankful his son and daughter-in-law survived the accident.
“At least the injuries are limbs, not lost lives.”
