Wichitan jailed on suspicion of DUI, involuntary manslaughter in Caldwell teen’s death
A Wichita man has been arrested in the Saturday death of a Caldwell teen on Kansas Highway 254.
Jose Rios-Cruz Jr. is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter, records show.
Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Lt. Benjamin Blick said Rios-Cruz was driving a GMC Sierra truck the wrong direction in the eastbound lanes of K-254 early Saturday morning when he ran head-on into a Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Clayton Patterson.
Patterson, 19, died in the wreck. Rios-Cruz had possible minor injuries but refused treatment at the scene, records show.
Blick said Rios-Cruz “exhibited signs of intoxication” so his “blood was collected and submitted for testing.” He was booked around 6:40 a.m. Saturday and has a $500,000 bond, according to jail records.
The crash happened at about 2:45 a.m. in the area of 10300 E. K-254, Blick said.
This story was originally published September 26, 2021 at 1:27 PM.
