EMPORIA, Kan. (WIBW) - One person was taken to an area hospital after a rear-end collision that occurred Tuesday night while the driver of one of the vehicles had stopped to check a GPS device while on Interstate 35 in Lyon County, authorities said.
The crash was reported at 6:32 p.m. Tuesday on I-35 along the Kansas Turnpike, about a mile south of the Emporia exit.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a 2011 Mercedes-Benz M Class sport utility vehicle was stopped in the right lane of southbound I-35 as the driver was checking a GPS device when it was rear-ended by a Honda CR-V SUV that was southbound and was unable to avoid the collision as the left lane was occupied.
The driver of the Honda, Tresia Spencer, 29, of Wichita, was taken to Newman Hospital in Emporia with suspected minor injuries. The patrol said Spencer, who was alone in her vehicle, was wearing her seat belt.
There were two children in the Honda, the patrol said. Information about their conditions wasn’t available on the Kansas Highway Patrol online crash log.
However, KVOE Radio reports that the children also were taken to the hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.
The driver of the Mercedes, Hai Ly, 72, of Wichita, was reported uninjured. The patrol said Ly was wearing his seat belt.
A passenger in the Mercedes, Kim Tran, 67, of Wichita, was reported to have a possible injury but there was no record of her being taken to the hospital. The patrol said Tran was wearing her seat belt.
KVOE reported southbound traffic on I-35 was closed as crews responded to the scene.