One dead, one in critical condition after three-vehicle wreck in NW Wichita, police say

A man in his 80s died, and a teen in the back seat of the car was taken to the hospital in critical condition, after the vehicle, driven by the man in his 80s, collided with two trucks on Saturday at 17th and West, according to Wichita police Sgt. Troy Nedbalek.

The wreck was reported at 3:17 p.m. and happened when the man, driving a Lincoln car, pulled in front of the trucks. Nedbalek said the driver of the trucks — a 17-year-old boy and 18-year-old man — were headed south on West and the man was either crossing West at 17th, from east to west, or turning the direction of the trucks. The man died at the scene.

The 18-year-old man and another man in his truck refused to be taken to the hospital, Nedbalek said. The 17-year-old driver was taken to the hospital after his mother insisted, Nedbalek said.

Nedbalek said the teens speeding may have been a factor in the wreck.

“At this time we’re not sure if they were racing, or if maybe they were just exceeding the speed limit or maybe they just had loud mufflers,” Nedbalek said. “We are trying to determine all of those factors.”

One truck went completely off the road from the wreck and the Lincoln was at least partly off the road.

Nedbalek didn’t know the relationship between the deceased and the teen in the car or if the drivers of the trucks knew each other.

This story was originally published August 29, 2020 at 3:41 PM.