Lawmaker John Whitmer, wife hurt in four-car pileup on K-96

State Rep. John Whitmer and his wife Marlena suffered apparently minor but painful injuries Tuesday in a four-car pileup on a north Wichita freeway.

The crash occurred about 3:45 p.m. on westbound K-96 between I-135 and Hillside, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol report.

Whitmer said traffic was stopped due to congestion and the driver behind him plowed into his car, pushing his car forward into the car in front of him and pushing that car into the next car in line.

He said the driver of the car that hit him apparently didn’t see the traffic jam and slow down.

No one was transported by ambulance from the the crash scene, the KHP report said.

Whitmer said he did suffer painful injuries to his leg and chest and planned to get x-rays to see if he has any broken ribs. He said his wife hurt her arm in the accident and would also be seeking medical attention.

Whitmer is a Republican state representative from Wichita and has served in the House since 2014.

His car appeared to be a total wreck, smashed in both rear and front.

He said the saddest thing to him about the accident was that the car was his mother’s before she passed away two years ago.

“The car had so much sentimental value,” he said. “To lose it, that’s what hurts … It’s just like losing a piece of mom.”

This story was originally published October 31, 2017 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Lawmaker John Whitmer, wife hurt in four-car pileup on K-96."