TOPEKA – Two people were killed and an Ottawa man was injured Sunday night in two separate freak accidents that occurred as a result of deer-vehicle crashes. Travis Sanders, 22, Lawrence, was killed along I-35 in Osage County northeast of Waverly as he was standing in the median after a deer-car crash. Sanders was driving north on I-35 just east of the K-31 interchange when he hit a deer, leaving his car disabled, partly in the left lane and into the median, the Kansas Highway Patrol said. Sanders left his car and was standing in the median. Clayton Richardson, 21, Leawood, was also going north on I-35 but following another vehicle, the highway patrol said. The vehicle swerved right to avoid Sanders’ car. Richardson swerved left into the median to avoid the car and hit Sanders who was standing in the median. Sanders was pronounced dead at the scene. Richardson and a passenger weren’t injured. Slightly later, a crash with nearly the same circumstances south of Manhattan killed a Manhattan woman and injured an Ottawa. Catherine Wood, 43, Manhattan, was driving on I–70 when she hit a deer and her car was disabled in a westbound lane of I-70 in Geary County eight miles south of Manhattan. She and her passenger, Dale Colleen Williams, 35, Manhattan, had left the car when it was struck by a car driven by Randy Jost, 59, Ottawa, the highway patrol said. Woods’ car then struck Williams after the impact. Both Williams and Jost were taken to Manhattan Mercy Hospital, where Williams died.
Monday, Oct. 28, noon
