One dead in crash at 43rd, Hydraulic (+video)

A man died Friday afternoon after his pickup collided with another pickup on South Hydraulic, police said.

Police officers responded to the area of 43rd and Hydraulic shortly after 3 p.m. after numerous motorists traveling on Hydraulic called in the crash, said police Sgt. Kevin Kochenderfer.

It was “a very chaotic scene,” Kochenderfer said, as multiple motorists were attempting to render aid to the victim, who was pinned in the truck.

Fire crews were called to the scene and they were able to unpin the man. He later died of his injuries at the scene.

Police are currently interviewing multiple witnesses to try to determine whether the victim’s truck was attempting to pull a U-turn or was turning out from a side street.

The crash happened in the southbound lanes of Hydraulic. Two people were in the other pickup, but no other injuries were reported, Kochenderfer said.

Police are attempting to make next-of-kin notifications and have not identified the deceased man, except to say that he is an adult.

Kochenderfer said traffic on Hydraulic between the I-135/I-235 interchange and 47th Street will be “extremely congested or blocked” for the Friday evening commute hours.

“This is a busy time of the day – some of the schools are getting out, and this is an extremely busy road, especially between MacArthur and 47th Street here,” he said.

Police are expected to be on scene for the next few hours.

About 15 minutes after the fatal crash, a Wichita fire truck was involved in an unrelated crash about two miles to the north, according to Sedgwick County emergency dispatchers. Only minor injuries were reported, and the victims refused emergency medical services.

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "One dead in crash at 43rd, Hydraulic (+video)."