Hutchinson, KS : Passenger killed, both drivers injured in crash near Sterling on Wednesday morning, August 3, 2016

A 15-year-old passenger was killed in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning northwest of Sterling. Both drivers were sent to hospitals for injuries.

Rice County Undersheriff Brian Treaster wrote in a news release that emergency services were called to the crash at the intersection of 14th Road and Avenue U, about a mile northeast of Sterling, at 11:23 a.m.

Responders found Tom Kelly, 53, the driver in a white Nissan Maxima in a field northeast of the intersection, and Jon Oden Jr., 17, the driver of a red Dodge Dakota out of the vehicle with the passenger Jacob Oden, 15, who had been ejected from the pickup, which was upright in the field.

Kelly was flown to Via Christi-St. Francis Hospital in Wichita for injuries, and Jon Oden Jr. was taken by ambulance to Rice County Hospital in Lyons. He has been released since then. Jacob Oden was pronounced dead at the scene, Treaster wrote.

Investigators determined the Nissan was westbound on Avenue U and the Dodge was northbound on 14th Road when the Nissan collided with the passenger side of the Dodge at 11:23 a.m. Jon Oden Jr. was the only person involved wearing a seatbelt.

Treaster wrote that the height of corn in an adjacent field made it a blind intersection, which may have contributed to the crash.

The Rice County Sheriff's Department, Sterling Police Department, Rice County Emergency Medical Service and Sterling and Lyons fire departments responded to the crash.

Source :
Passenger killed in crash near Sterling; both drivers hospitalized