RUSSELL COUNTY A dead deer on K-18 caused two vehicles to collide at 5:41 p.m. Sunday on K-18 in Russell County, 3.6 miles east of the U.S. 281/K-18 Junction in Plainville.
Kansas Highway Patrol reports both vehicles were eastbound on K-18 when Tess Jo Dunkel-McNight, 55, of Luray, driving a 2007 Toyta Yaris, applied her brakes to avoid hitting the dead deer in the roadway. Esbon Joseph Widener, 61, of Stockton, was driving a 2014 Kenworth semitrailer and began to move left to go around the Toyota and the deer. When the Toyota ran over the deer, this caused that vehicle to move left into the path of the semi, which bumped the rear end of the Toyota and pushed it into the south ditch. Widener was not injured but pulled over to the right shoulder and stopped.
Dunkel and a 5-year-old passenger were not injured, but a 7-year-old male passenger sustained possible injury and was taken to Osborne County Memorial Hospital.
The adults were wearing seat belts and the children were in booster seats with seat belts.