State

Wichita woman dies, three others hurt in head-on crash in Kansas on Christmas Day

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. Wichita Eagle file photo

A vehicle crash in central Kansas left an 86-year-old Wichita woman dead and three other people injured on Christmas Day.

The woman who died was identified as Evelyn D. Reece in Kansas Highway Patrol crash logs.

The accident was reported shortly after 5 p.m. along Kansas Highway 156 about five miles west of Larned.

A 1994 Chevrolet S10 pickup truck driven by a 27-year-old Larned man was heading west on K-156 while a 2019 Toyota Highlander with four women inside was eastbound, according to the KHP report.

At some point, the pickup started to lose control because of ice and snow on the road. The pickup went left of the center line and struck the Highlander head-on in the eastbound lane, the crash log shows.

The pickup stopped in the westbound lane and the Toyota in the eastbound lane.

Reece died at the scene of the crash. Two other women in the Toyota, ages 60 and 26 and both from Olathe, were taken to Pawnee Valley Hospital with suspected minor injuries. The driver of the Highlander, a 58-year-old Olathe woman, was not injured, according to the report.

The man in the pickup was taken to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with suspected serious injuries, the KHP said.

Larned is roughly 138 miles northwest of Wichita.

Eduardo Castillo
The Wichita Eagle
Eduardo covers crime and breaking news for The Wichita Eagle. His previous work experience includes stints at KWCH 12 Eyewitness News, the local CBS affiliate in Wichita, and as a marketing manager for a local real estate team. In addition to writing, Eduardo also enjoys still photography and cinematography. News tips? email at Edcastillo@wichitaeagle.com or call 316-268-6213.
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