Fatal Crash On I-135
Jeff Garretson - Tue 11:06 AM 06/12/2012
Preliminary data from the Kansas Department of Transportation says 57 people died in alcohol-related crashes, compared with 102 in 2011. Alcohol-related traffic accidents also declined last year 2,184, the lowest number in more than a decade.
A Wichita man dies after a roll over crash on I-135.
According to Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski, 39-year-old Eddie John Sawyer Groff of Wichita was ejected from a vehicle and died at the scene early Tuesday morning.
Deputies report around 1:30am, the 1995 Saturn sedan was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control near the Bridgeport exit and rolled numerous times.
Groff was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the backseat.
Another passenger, Angela Nash, 22, of Wichita was injured and transported to Salina Regional Heath Center by the Lindsborg Ambulance. Deputies say she was not buckled up.
The driver, 22-year-old Joseph David Chavez, was cut out of the car by emergency crews and taken to the hospital in Salina.
Sheriff Kochanowski says that Chavez is facing charges that include involuntary manslaughter, driving with a suspended licence and DUI.
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Iamgonnagetu
Tuesday 12 June 2012 12:06 Report this comment
Ok the sheriff and his deputies know about the seat belts because they were right at the scene when the accident occurred right? No mention was made whether the driver was buckled up. But even believing what has been stated its still the fact both not wearing one dies one lives. But was she really not buckled up? In a bad crash such as this people tend to want to get out of the wreckage and therefore if they were wearing the seat belt they would undo it to try and get out. Law enforcement at the time is nowhere in sight. Someone lost a life but if the passengers let a drunk drive and then at a reckless and at high speed they put their lives on the line and lucky no innocent people were injured.
Wowza
Tuesday 12 June 2012 13:27 Report this comment
Last time I was in an accident with my seatbelt on, you could tell I was wearing it because it had stress marks and a rip on the side of it. This was from a pretty light tap also, not rolling over. I would imagine that if a person was wearing a seat belt and the vehicle rolled over there would be all kinds of stretch marks on it, not to mention marks on the person's body. What you think Iamgonnagetu? You seem to be an expert on everything.
Travis2
Tuesday 12 June 2012 14:26 Report this comment
Another drunken mexican driving on our highways. Wonder if it was an illegal or if it could even read the speed limit signs which are written in english. doubt it
girlmeetsboy
Tuesday 12 June 2012 14:45 Report this comment
really travis2 somebody lost their life and you made a comment like that. you are sick boy.
getumgranny
Tuesday 12 June 2012 15:00 Report this comment
Here's my feeling on this, first and foremost, my sympathies to the family of the young man that was killed!! No matter what the situation, we all must accept responsibility for ourselves when we choose to get in a car with an individual that is intoxicated!! If the driver and passengers were all partying together, they obviously knew they were taking a risk by getting into the vehicle with the guy that ultimately destroyed all their lives in some form. NEVER, NEVER accept a ride from someone that is under the influence of anything, unless you have a death wish!!
getumgranny
Tuesday 12 June 2012 15:15 Report this comment
Where's the follow-up story about the young man that was on his motorcycle and hit by the truck at Crawford and old 40? I heard he passed away yesterday in Wichita. My sympathies to his family, I hope the arrest the guy and charge him with everything they can!! When I heard he did not even bother to get out of his truck to help the poor guy he rammed into that made my stomach churn!!!
GetAGrip
Tuesday 12 June 2012 15:23 Report this comment
What a sleezy comment from Travis2. A life is lost, does not matter if he was Mexican, the guy is dead. At issue, being drunk and driving. That is what matters. Somebody is killed with a gun, can't blame the gun, just as you can't blame the booze. Guns are safe when handled properly just as alcohol, beer or whatever is safe when drank in proportion. Sex is safe if you use a condom. ALL DEPENDS on the person, always does!
Iamgonnagetu
Tuesday 12 June 2012 18:56 Report this comment
Wowsa being an expert I see your sarcasm. People also get decapitated from seat belts but law enforcement never reports those cases. Also you and other people think law enforcement inspect bodies at these accidents but is not their job. Actually accidents are a pain in the butt to them and very time consuming.
SpeakinTruth
Tuesday 12 June 2012 22:13 Report this comment
this is such a dumb argument. should they tell people how to live by making them wear their seatbelts??? probably not. BUT, look at the stats...they save WWAAAYYYYYY more lives than they kill...it COULD hurt someone, but it doesnt hurt people as much as it helps...just a fact...
GETALIFE674
Wednesday 13 June 2012 01:12 Report this comment
speakintruth you are not speaking the truth. why not research before you show your ignorance and make false statements about looking at the facts because you did not. For the record those wearing belts and not being killed is 51% those not wearing and not killed 50% so there is only a one percent difference.
smokeyvalley
Wednesday 13 June 2012 06:12 Report this comment
I have seen some stupid comments before, however, the one just made by 674 ranks up there in the top 3%. I think you just showed either your true ignorance or the fact you have been placed on this planet to be the village idiot. From your work history, 674, you should know better.
Logical
Wednesday 13 June 2012 07:22 Report this comment
iamgonnagetu and getalife: Please help me understand the heart of your issue with seatbelts: do you really think they don't work or is it a "free will" issue and you want the freedom to not wear them if you don't want to? If it is the first reason, can you please provide a link to the multiple studies that shows seatbelts don't work? If it is the second reason, that's fine, I'm just trying to understand the heart of your issue.
Iamgonnagetu
Wednesday 13 June 2012 07:57 Report this comment
Logical there should be NO seat belt law. Also we are slowly becoming a police state something I never throught I would witness as good honest hard working people become victims of law enforcement investigations and law enforcement given more powers under all the terrorism laws passed. As I stated before the seat belt law was passed to receive federal funds in Kansas and for no other reason. If I want to use a seat belt so be it if I do not I should not have to.
Iamgonnagetu
Wednesday 13 June 2012 08:08 Report this comment
Further there are a bunch of laws on the books that police just plain ignore and do not take the time to enforce. When crime is becoming a problem and police rather sit down by illegally closed roads giving traffic tickets that is not right. Arresting a couple of gang bangers is a small step but they are off the street that is until the county attorney and judges get to it. Once they do anything can happen like the woman who killed the Guy out on East Crawford who evidently nothing happened to as it was covered up. So LOGICAL I GUESS YOU SUPPORT ALL OF THIS.
Travis2
Wednesday 13 June 2012 08:47 Report this comment
GetaGrip, Exactly what I said, the issue is drunk driving! Yes it does matter that he was Mexican. Do you realize drunk driving is the norm in mexico, they bring their lawless way of life here, killing & injuring 1000s of Americans every year! They have no regard for US laws. Search “illegal mexican drunk drivers” on google! Illegal mexican drivers are always found to have no drivers license or insurance. Yes my heart goes out to the victim’s family obviously! We should bring awareness to this growing problem coming out of mexico, to stop it. Maybe he wasn’t illegal, but odds are that he was. Kansas has been overrun & invaded with millions of them, wake up people, were losing our country!
Logical
Wednesday 13 June 2012 08:55 Report this comment
iamgonnagetu: thanks for the response. Now I understand where you are coming from. It's a free will thing. Still would like to see the links to multiple studies that seat belts dont save lives. You should not assume the thing you wrote in capital letters. I was just trying to understand your point of view.
THEENFORCER
Wednesday 13 June 2012 09:05 Report this comment
smokeyvalley you are a stupid comment. Why not get your head out of your outhouse. I agree with the fact that the only reason there is a seat belt law was the law makers that foolishly spent our taxpayer monies needed money and the feds hung out a carrot to them. On issues that affect so many people it should be put to a vote. I to have read some on this and law enforcement likes to put their spin on this that is why they try and inform everyone about whether they think seat belts were used or not otherwise who really cares. It does not make a tinkers darn to me whether drunk people exceeding the speed limit kill themselves by wearing or not wearing a seat belt. The real reason it is being reported is to forfill requirements set out by the feds for Kansas to continue to receive monies. The feds should be more concerned with the invasion of Mexico into the U.S.
THEENFORCER
Wednesday 13 June 2012 09:10 Report this comment
logical take some time and look up the information yourself evidently you are only on here to stir the pot. I read alot of this myself and you seem to always take the side of law enforcement whether they are right or wrong. People need to police the police otherwise everyone's few rights left in our country will be gone.
GetAGrip
Wednesday 13 June 2012 09:51 Report this comment
Iamgonngetu, I have often wondered myself what happened to that lady who killed a guy on East Crawford and also what happened to the DUI case of Vidrickson, who a highway is named after. These and other cases just sorta disappear from the news.
luvmypups88
Wednesday 13 June 2012 13:26 Report this comment
The man driving is 36 not 22. He was Born and raised in wichita kansas. so please keep your racial comments to yourself travis. He has caused alot of pain for many people because he decided to drive while drunk. Alcohol affect everyone diffrently some people can handle it, and some cant. He Can NOT! he is not a horrible person he didnt want this to happen. alcohol is the reason this tragady happened NOT because of his race. RIP Eddie You will be dearly missed. You are in gods hands now.
GETALIFE674
Wednesday 13 June 2012 17:16 Report this comment
GETAGRIP I TO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW BUT WE BOTH KNOW SOMEONE GOT BROUGHT OUT NOW WHO COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE. COUNTY ATTORNEY IS FIRST STOP.
Logical
Wednesday 13 June 2012 18:18 Report this comment
TheEnforcer: I was just asking a question...some of the people posting here have previously written here and other stories that there was information re: seat belts not helping. I thought they might be able to easily provide the source of the facts more quickly than I could find them. I just wanting to verify the information...Please dont' have an attitude with me. Thanks!
THEENFORCER
Thursday 14 June 2012 09:34 Report this comment
How my attitude with you will depend on how much you stir the pot to get reactions.
getumgranny
Thursday 14 June 2012 11:20 Report this comment
There are MANY cases that have disappeared from the headlines, unresolved over the last year. This would certainly be an interesting story for the media to address, kind of a "where are they now" type story. How bout it KSAL, Journal, KWCH, etc....