Two separate one-vehicle accidents happened at about the same time and the sample place early Friday morning. Both vehicles hit a patch of icy road on 190th midway between Hillsboro and Marion, sending four people to the hospital.
Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft said his office no sooner got a call to investigate the first crash when a second call came through.
?Both vehicles were traveling east and both hit a couple hundred yards of ice about one-quarter mile east of Nighthawk Road,? he said.
One of the collisions involved a driver transporting three Goessel students to the Oasis School in Marion.
Ann Thiesen, 71, of Newton, was injured when the 1999 GMC Yukon she was driving hit a slick spot, went into the north ditch and overturned three times, according to Craft.
Thiesen was taken by Marion County ambulance to St. Luke Hospital in Marion; she was later transferred to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita for treatment of back injuries, said John Fast, superintendent of USD 411 in Goessel.
Also transferred to Wesley Medical Center was one of the three Goessel students as a precautionary step; that student was released Saturday, Fast said.
Craft identified the Goessel student as Dustyn Gagnon, 10, who initially was taken by Hillsboro ambulance to Hillsboro Community Hospital.
The other two Goessel students were treated and released the same day. They were Malachia Lewis, 12, transported by ambulance to HCH, and Lydia Smith, 14, who was taken by Marion County?ambulance to St. Luke, according to Craft.
First accident
The first slide-off involved Donna Hamm, 57, of Hillsboro, who was driving a 2001 Chevy Tahoe. The vehicle slid into the south ditch, spinning it around and hitting a power pole.
?We were en route to this accident when the second accident occurred,? Craft said. ?Both accidents were virtually in the same area, but Hamm was treated at the scene.?
In both accidents, the drivers and passengers were wearing seat belts.
Both vehicles were probably damaged beyond repair, Craft said.
Small patch of ice
Craft said just before 7 a.m. Friday a brief rain shower fell in some areas of the county.
With the mixture of rain and the cold temperatures, some roadways became slick in spots.
?Motorists need to watch out on the old highway (190th Road) where trees are shading the roadway. It can be notorious for slick spots,? he said. ?It doesn?t get the sunlight.?
Craft encouraged drivers to consider taking U.S. Highway 56 when there is a chance of the roads being slick.
?The new highway will be cleared first by KDOT,? he said.
Craft also offered advice about wearing seat belts.
?It is that time of year (with icy conditions on roadways),? he said, ?and drivers need to be prepared by giving themselves plenty of time to get where they are going.?
For road reports in Kansas, call toll-free (800) 585-7623 or 511 for those located in Kansas.
