ACCIDENTS

REPORTED

These accident reports were released this past week by law enforcement agencies:

SHERIFF

US-56 west of Falcon Rd.

Three passengers safely escaped after a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 caught fire and was destroyed while stopped at 3:47 p.m. Oct. 17 in a construction zone, according to one of five accident reports released Thursday by the sheriff’s department.

Driver Andrew J. Mullennax, 26, along with passengers Candice G. Mullennax, 26, and infant Aspen J. Mullennax, all of the same McPherson address, exited the truck before construction workers and Hillsboro firefighters put out the fire.

Deputy Corey Unruh’s report offered no indication of the cause.

Sunflower Rd. north of 180th Rd.

Clifford J. Vanderzanden Jr., 47, Wichita, hit a deer at 11:01 a.m. Oct. 19 with a 2021 Chevrolet Captiva.

The sport-utility vehicle, owned by Barbara R. Bitner of Marion, remained drivable with damage to its front bumper, grill, and headlights.

US-56/77 south of 220th Rd.

Driving with a Texas license, Auburn B. Wassberg, 25, Manhattan, hit a deer at 8:57 p.m. Oct. 19 with her 2018 Nissan Rogue.

Her sport-utility vehicle sustained disabling damage to its front third and undercarriage and was towed.

US-56 west of Falcon Rd.

Craig M. Hertel, 40, Wichita, was injured at 7:29 p.m. Oct. 21 when he swerved his 2024 Kenworth T800 semi-trailer truck into the right ditch to avoid a deer, overcorrected, and caused the truck to spin around, hit a road sign, and turn onto its side in the left ditch.

The semi, bearing Ellis County plates, sustained disabling damage to its right front, roof, and windshield and was towed.

Hertel, who suffered a cut on his head and possibly other injuries, was taken to Hillsboro Community Hospital by Hillsboro ambulance and later transferred to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, Wichita, by Marion ambulance.

Hillsboro and Lehigh firefighters and two county emergency managers also responded to the wreck.

K-15 south of 130th Rd.

Kansas N. Bryant, 36, Canton, hit a deer at 3:40 a.m. Thursday with a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse.

The sport-utility vehicle, owned by Michael W. Reavis II of McPherson, remained drivable with damage to its front, left, and hood.

Joshua W. Bryant, 43, of the same Canton address, was a passenger.

HILLSBORO

200 block of Santa Fe St.

Rear tires of a 2024 International LT62 semi-trailer owned by UWC Transportation of Wichita struck a metal post and a fire hydrant at 3:16 p.m. Oct. 22 while driver Joseph G. Torske, 36, Wellington, was making a right turn out of Container Services’ yard.

The accident was reported the next morning.