U.S.-50 accident victims' names released years ago
Preliminary investigation indicates inattentive driving as cause for both accidents
Two accidents that occurred within a few feet and a little more than 24 hours apart are still under investigation. The two accidents claimed seven lives.
The names have been released by Kansas Highway Patrol of those involved in the two accidents on U.S.-50 three miles east of Peabody in a construction zone June 28 and 29.
The June 28 accident occurred at 1:43 p.m. and involved four vehicles.
Michael W. Hardwick, 50, El Paso, Texas, was westbound in a semi-truck. Traffic was stopped or slowed for a construction zone when Hardwick hit the back of a 1998 Dodge pickup truck. The pickup exploded on impact and moved to the right shoulder.
Occupants in the pickup were identified as Cornelus Wall, Leamington, Canada, age unknown, and Cornelus Sawatzky, Mexico, age unknown. The pickup had a Mexico tag.
Investigators indicated Hardwick was traveling at 64 mph at point of impact.
The Hardwick vehicle then hit a 2003 Ford Taurus driven by Craig M. Smith, 56, Olathe, sending the car to the south ditch. The burning pickup truck was pushed under a semi-trailer driven by Vernon D. Fast, 53, Hutchinson.
Hardwick was treated and released from St. Luke Hospital. Fast was not injured.
The following day at 5:53 p.m. in the same general area another accident occurred involving six vehicles.
According to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, a semi-truck driven by 33-year-old Rich Duncan, address unknown, slammed into the rear end of a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Barbara A. Standiferd, 53, of Wichita.
Duncan's open trailer held two trucks carrying propane tanks. The two trucks shot forward upon impact and severely damaged the tractor trailer's cab.
Standiferd told officials she saw the truck approaching in her mirror and was attempting to move out of the path of the truck when her vehicle was struck. Her vehicle was propelled into the south ditch.
Standiferd was treated and released from St. Luke Hospital for minor injuries.
The Duncan semi-truck continued on through the line of vehicles that had stopped for the flagger within the marked construction zone.
The semi-truck rear-ended a 2001 Oldsmobile Silhoutte mini-van and a 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, and came to rest on top of the mini-van.
The Cavalier was propelled into a gravel truck driven by 26-year-old Andrew Hermstein of Hesston. The gravel truck was then pushed into another semi-truck driven by 47-year-old Jerome M. Heinz of Wichita.
The Cavalier was pinned between Duncan's semi-truck, the mini-van, and the gravel truck.
The drivers and passengers in the mini-van and Cavalier all died at the scene.
The driver of the mini-van was 43-year-old Victoria A. Bogner. Passengers in the mini-van were Bogner's 21-year-old son Christopher Gerald Bogner and his 17-year-old wife Charlie Michelle Bogner. Charlie Bogner was pregnant.
The Bogners' address was listed as Wright, located in Ford County.
Occupants in the Cavalier were John Cafferty, 56, and Shirley Cafferty, 51, of Wichita.
The investigations are continuing but indications are the causes of both accidents were inattentive driving.
Three construction crews were working at different locations along U.S.-50. The other two crews had traffic lights to direct motorists, but the site of the collisions had warnings signs and a flagger.
Two road maintenance projects that started May 3 are between Florence and Walton. One of the projects will be concluded July 30, the other will continue for an additional nine months, said KDOT spokesman Steve Swartz.
