Two southwest Kansans die in separate accidents

Finney County and Meade County, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Two southwest Kansands died on Thursday in separate accidents, one in Finney County, and the other in Meade County.

The first accident occurred just after 7:15 Thursday morning, when a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 39-year-old Victor Espino-Gallardo of Garden City was eastbound on US Highway 50, at mile marker 79 at near Aerodrome Road, when he left the roadway to the left, crossed the median, rolled, and came to rest in the north ditch. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, he was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to St. Catherine’s of Garden City Morgue. Espino-Gallardo was not wearing the seatbelt.

The second accident involved a swather and train in Meade County. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol report, the accident happened just before 12:30 pm, at US Highway 54 and L Road. A self-propelled swather driven by 26-year-old Seth O. Beaver of Plains was eastbound on L Road, when he crossed the tracks and was struck by a Union Pacific Train that was headed northeast. Beaver was pronounced dead at the scene, and was taken to Miller Mortuary. He was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the KHP report. The conductor of the train was not injured.