Woman struck by car in east Wichita has multiple injuries and is in a coma, family says
Devastated, afraid, pain, angry and lost. These are the words that Katherine Slagle’s family use to describe their feelings as their loved one fights for her life after she was hit by a car Monday in east Wichita.
Slagle, 21, was walking home from work and crossing Rock Road when she was struck by a driver who police allege was under the influence of alcohol.
Her sister, Jessi Eldred, said she last saw her sister Sunday night. Their family was having Thanksgiving dinner. Now, Slagle is at Wesley Medical Center in a coma and on a ventilator.
“She is stable right now, but she has been taken off sedation and is not waking,” Eldred said in a phone call.
She remains in the intensive care unit and is unresponsive, a GoFundMe said.
Her injuries include multiple traumatic brain injuries, damage to her carotid arteries, fractured left shoulder, multiple fractures in her pelvis and sacrum and internal bleeding.
“Because of her brain injuries and the swelling, we were first told that the swelling would get much worse and would be life-threatening,” Eldred said. “That was the moment when it really hit hard, and we couldn’t hold it together anymore.”
An MRI done Tuesday showed that Slagle did not have any significant swelling or pressure to any vital areas on her body.
“They [doctors] are optimistic with her young age and health, that she will pull through, but we won’t know until she wakes up what kind of long-term health effects there will be,” Eldred said.
On Wednesday, Slagle underwent surgery on her pelvis. She is currently in stable condition, Eldred said.
“As long as she remains in stable condition, the plan is to perform surgery later this week on one of her leg fractures,” the GoFundMe said.
Alexandria Rodriguez, 27, of Augusta, was accused of hitting Slagle. She had her three children, ages 2 to 7, in the 2014 Ford Taurus during the crash.
On Thursday, she was charged with driving while suspended, aggravated battery and three counts of endangering a child, court records show.
A GoFundMe has been created to help pay for Slagle’s medical bills.
This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 6:49 PM.