Stolen Van Crashes In Rossville

From the Capital-Journal:

ROSSVILLE — A man driving a reported stolen minivan was critically injured late Wednesday morning when the vehicle hit a bridge post in northwest Shawnee County, officials said at the scene.

The one-vehicle crash was reported around 11:40 a.m. and occurred at N.W. 54th and Rossville Road — on the north edge of Rossville, about four blocks north of US-24 highway.

Shawnee County sheriff’s officials said the driver, whose age wasn’t immediately known, was transported by American Medical Response ambulance to a Topeka hospital. The driver was alone in the vehicle, which officials said was reported stolen out of Pottawatomie County.

A witness said the crash occurred as the white Dodge Caravan with twin red racing stripes accelerated as it headed north out of Rossville in the 100 block of Main Street.

The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said the van veered left of center as it approached N.W. 54th Street, striking a bridge post on the west side of the roadway.

At that location, N.W. 54th is the dividing line where Main Street turns into Rossville Road.

The impact caused the minivan to spin around and the airbags to deploy. The van, which ended up facing southwest at the intersection, had major front-end damage and a shattered windshield.

The witness to the crash said he went out to check on the well-being of the driver.

He said the driver had abrasions to the facial area and a bruise on his midsection that ran diagonally from his lower right to upper left.

The driver was conscious the whole time, the witness said, adding that he knocked out the driver’s-side window to check on the driver.

The witness said he sometimes watches traffic go by on Main Street in front of his house, but this was the first time he’d seen a vehicle hit the bridge post.

There were no skid marks visible near the crash site, though the path of the minivan’s left front and rear tires could be seen in the grass of a front yard on the west side of the 100 block of Main Street.

As of 1 p.m., Shawnee County Sheriff’s officials were awaiting the arrival of Pottawatomie County sheriff’s deputies.

Shawnee County sheriff’s officials said the van would be seized, by virtue of it being reported stolen