Sanitation worker dies after tire blows out and truck crashes on way to Kansas landfill

A temporary sanitation worker for a southeast Kansas town was killed in a one-vehicle crash Thursday.

The city of Independence said in a news release that an employee died when a truck wrecked while it was eastbound on U.S. 160. The truck was headed to the county landfill when it left the roadway shortly after noon. A second employee in the vehicle was hurt and taken to a hospital.

“There are not enough words to fully express our sympathy to the family of the man who was lost today,” Interim City Manager Kelly Passauer said in the release. “We offer our deepest condolences upon his passing and prayers for strength and a full recovery for our injured team member.”

The Kansas Highway Patrol said in a crash report that a driver’s side tire blew out on the 2001 International straight truck. Troopers determined that the eastbound vehicle then crossed into the westbound lane before entering the ditch and rolling multiple times on its passenger side, coming to rest on all four tires. Both occupants were ejected.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified in the KHP report as Taylor Lee Edwards, 20, of Independence. The passenger, a 52-year-old Independence man, was taken to Freeman Hospital with suspected serious injuries.

This story was originally published September 12, 2019 at 6:00 PM.