WICHITA, KANSAS
MAN DIES IN ACCIDENT WITH CATTLE TRUCK NEAR NEWTON. THE MAN WAS TRYING TO PASS A VEHICLE IN FRONT
OF HIM WHILE DRIVING EAST ON U.S. 50 AT HILLSIDE ABOUT ONE OR TWO MILES EAST OF
NEWTON WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH A TRUCK HAULING ABOUT 40 HEAD OF CATTLE
JANUARY 6, 2015
A Wichita, KS man has died in a crash with a semitrailer
hauling cattle just outside Newton, Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton said Monday
night.
Walton said the man was trying to pass a vehicle in
front of him while driving east on U.S. 50 at Hillside about one or two miles
east of Newton when he collided with a truck hauling about 40 head of cattle.
The truck went into the north-side ditch, landed on its side and burst into
flames, Walton said. The accident occurred at about 6 p.m. Monday.
The driver of the cattle truck crawled out and “appears
to be OK” but was at Wesley Medical Center for observation, Walton said.
Walton did not have an age for the Wichita man, whom
emergency workers pronounced dead at the scene.
As of about 9:45 p.m., responders had gotten 12 head of
cattle out of the truck. Walton said he did not know how many still inside the
truck were injured or how many were dead.
“The ones in the front of the trailer, they’re probably
deceased,” Walton said.
Farmers are helping get the cattle out and setting up
gates to keep them in one area as they leave the truck.
“Without them, we’d be lost,” Walton said of the
farmers, adding that he feared cattle would get loose on the highway and cause
more accidents.
A veterinarian was at the scene. Animals have been taken
to a farm about a half-mile away, Walton said.
Walton said he expected U.S. 50 to be closed for a few
hours while officials continue to investigate the accident.