7 hurt, 3 seriously in 4-car pileup
Staff writer
A woman falling asleep at the wheel led to a four-car pileup at 4 p.m. Saturday on US-56/77 between 240th and 250th Rd. Four people were taken to hospitals in Marion and Wichita.
Sarah D. Madgwick, 44, Marion, was driving south when she fell asleep at the wheel, according to deputy Aaron Christner’s report.
Her 2021 Kia Sorento crossed the centerline of the rain-slick highway and into the path of a northbound 2020 Chevrolet 3500 driven by Rochelle O. Johnson, 52, Junction City.
Johnson swerved into the southbound lane but was unable to avoid a collision. Her pickup spun around several times before careening into a 2015 GMC Yukon driven southbound by Sean M. Fitzgerald, 48, Andover.
The Yukon then struck a 2020 Ford Explorer driven by Justin D. Willour, 48, Potwin.
Willour had swerved into the northbound lane to try to avoid his Explorer being struck by the Yukon. He also reported that he thought his Explorer was hit by Johnson’s pickup.
Madgwick, Johnson, and Christopher Johnson, 54, of the same Junction City address as Rochelle Johnson, were reported as having suffered incapacitating injuries.
Fitzgerald and passengers Melissa Fitzgerald, 44, and Kaley Fitzgerald, 14, all of the same Andover address, are listed as having suffered possible injuries.
Explorer passengers Kristina Willour, 46, of the same Potwin address as Willour, and Mitchell Willour, 71, of Aledo, Texas, also were reported as having suffered possible injuries.
Madgwick, Johnson, Fitzgerald, and Mitchell Willour had to be extricated from the vehicles.
Hillsboro ambulance took Kristina Willour, 46, a passenger in the Explorer, to Wesley Medical Center.
Marion ambulance took Johnson, passenger Christopher Johnson of the same Junction City address, and Fitzgerald to St. Luke Hospital in Marion. One was later taken to Wesley by Tampa ambulance.
Kaley Fitzgerald, 14, Andover also was a passenger in the Yukon.
Witness Larry Doornboss, El Dorado, told Christner that three or four of the vehicles spun out of control on wet pavements and that car parts “were flying everywhere.”
All four vehicles were towed. No citations were issued.