Posted 14 hours ago

By Post Staff

KHP photo from the fatal Saline County crash

BAVARIA – Two people died and another was injured in an accident just after 8 a.m. on Monday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford Taurus driven by Andrew Loren Wolf, 20, Ellsworth, was eastbound on Kansas 140 (Old Highway 40) just east of Bavaria.

The vehicle crossed the centerline into the westbound lanes.

It made contact with a westbound 2005 Ford F150. The collision caused the Taurus to slide backwards toward the eastbound lane and the south ditch.

An eastbound 2006 Nissan Murano driven by Jolene A. Goddard, 40, Brookville, struck the Taurus. All three vehicles came to rest in the south ditch.

Wolf and a passenger Joshua Bruce Gepner, 24, McPherson, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home.

Goddard was transported to Salina Regional Medical Center.
The driver of the F150 Joshua Leland Krone, 34, Brookville, and a child passenger were not injured.

The KHP reported Gepner and Goddard were not wearing seat belts.

The accident investigation shut the highway down in both directions between Hedville and Muir for several hours.

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• Seatbelts save lives.

  • And, apparently, they don’t!

    Wolf, the driver of the Taurus, was apparently wearing a seat belt and died anyway. On the other hand, Goddard, the driver of the Murano, was NOT wearing a seat belt and lived.

    • Out of all the people that died, 2, one was and one wasn’t. That is 50% mortality rate. Of those wearing their seatbelts, 4, 3 lived and one did not. That is 25%. I will go with the better odds of wearing a seat belt. I don’t care if it is the law or not, I will error on the side of simple mathematics.

      • You must of been reading another story. The story I read there were 4 adults 2 had seat belts and 2 did not have seat belts on 2 died one with a seat belt and one without a seat belt 2 lived on with a set belt and one without a seat belt. Looks like that is 50% to me.

        • The story reads that 5 people were involved in the accident. Of the ones that died, yes one did have a seat belt the other did not. 50% mortality. 4 people were wearing seat belts. Only one died. That is 25%. Better odds to wear a seat belt. I have a feeling that the majority of the people on this forum did not pass statistics.

      • You are responsible for YOU. By all means do what YOU think is right for YOU.

• Prayers for these families! All involved are going to need prayers!

  • You are correct. The world is better off with positive posts like yours, thanks.

• Texting?

  • Sure does seem like it. /:

    • The family will find out by doing a simple check either on the phone or through data transmission records. Most likely a lawsuit will follow.

  • 8:00am sun into the east bound lane there.

  • you don’t think road conditions had anything to do with this accident? You think old highway 40 roads where not icy.