Lindsborg crash victim improving at Wichita hospital

A Lindsborg man who was critically injured in a collision that killed a teenager on Sunday in Ellsworth County has shown signs of improvement at a Wichita hospital.

Garrett Stritchfield, 30, is now in serious condition at Via Christi Hospital St. Francis, according to a hospital spokeswoman. He was hurt when the Ford pickup he was driving was struck by a Chevrolet pickup that crossed the center line on K-141 a few miles west of Marquette at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Owen L. O’Dell, 15, of Lindsborg, who was driving the Chevy pickup, died in the collision. The Chevy came to rest in a ditch after the collision and was fully engulfed in flames, according to the highway patrol report.

Scritchfield was initially transported to Salina Regional Health Center after the crash, then transferred to St. Francis in Wichita. Kayla A. Scritchfield, 30, and 4-year-old Maelah Scritchfield, passengers in the Ford, were also transported to Salina Regional with injuries, the report said.

Two-month-old Ava Scritchfield was transported to Salina Regional, though she was not listed with an injury.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Lindsborg crash victim improving at Wichita hospital."