Ark Valley News - Four wrecks on same stretch of Ridge

Sedgwick County and Valley Center firefighters survey a damaged cargo truck, which overturned after colliding with another vehicle at 85th North and Ridge Road Jan. 27.

Four wrecks on same stretch of Ridge
By Chris Strunk and David Dinell
Last Updated: February 11, 2016

One involved a dog, while another a cat.

Two were two-vehicle affairs.

Four separate wrecks in three days in the same stretch of North Ridge Road last week sent three people to the hospital, but no one was critically injured — except the dog, which was killed.

It started Jan. 27 when two vehicles collided at the intersection of Ridge and 85th North.

Lt. Lin Denning with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office said a cargo truck was traveling south on Ridge when a Chevy Equinox pulled into the intersection. The collision sent the car into the ditch and nearly obliterated the truck, which rolled into a nearby yard. There appeared nothing left of the vehicle but the frame.

The driver of the truck, 54-year-old Daniel Tobisch of Sedgwick, suffered only minor injuries. He was wearing a seat belt. The truck's passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt, suffered potentially serious injuries.

The driver of the Equinox, Joann Seyb, 72, of Pretty Prairie, was taken to St. Francis with cuts and possible chest injuries. Seyb was cited for failing to yield at the stop sign, Denning said.

The next day, a vehicle driven by Diana L. Hale struck and killed a dog in the 6600 block of North Ridge. No other injuries were reported.

On Jan. 29, a two-vehicle wreck was reported in the 7300 block of North Ridge. A vehicle traveling south on Ridge slowed to avoid a cat in the road and a second vehicle struck the back of the first vehicle. No injuries were reported. The second vehicle was following the first too closely, the sheriff's office said.

Later on Jan. 29, a vehicle driven by Alexis Albert Martinez-Velazco went out of control and struck ditch and culvert in the 8300 block of North Ridge. Minor injuries were reported.

A vehicle pursuit that started in Maize late on the evening of Jan. 26 ended in Park City with an injured suspect facing possible felony charges.

The chase involved officers from the Maize Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office. Park City police were involved as an "outside assist" resource, but since the incident didn't begin in the city, weren't taking the lead role, said Sgt. Keith Goodall.

"We weren't actively pursuing the vehicle, but we did show up at the end and were ready to help if he ran on foot as we would've had a perimeter set up," Goodall said.

The suspect was involved in a domestic case and took off from Maize police at about 10 p.m. He kept going despite efforts to use stop sticks to flatten his tires. He drove on I-135 at high speeds, then left the interstate at 53rd North, headed east and then went north on Hydraulic before heading east on 61st, then north on Grove before stopping on Ventnor between Tarrytown and Grove.

The suspect tried to run from the car, but only got about 10 feet, Goodall said, before he was injured. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

The driver hasn't been charged yet. That will be up to the district attorney's office.