Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir reported two vehicular rollover crashes occurred Saturday, Feb. 24, on county roads. Three people were taken to the hospital as a result of the unrelated crashes.
The first rollover occurred around 2:55 a.m. in the 300 block of SE 50 Road, which was covered in ice and snow at the time. A 1997 Chevrolet 1500 pickup operated by Tanner Swank, age 22, of Ellinwood, overturned in the ditch. The driver reported he attempted to avoid a collision with a deer when he lost control of the truck. It went off the north side of the roadway, overturning two times.
Swank was taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital by private vehicle.
Passenger Colton Churchill, age 21, also of Ellinwood, was not injured.
The second rollover was reported around 10:06 a.m. on K-96 near milepost 169. Hannah Pechanec, 18, of Timken, was driving a 2000 Buick Park Avenue that left the roadway and the driver over-corrected. The car went into a skid and overturned two and a half times.
Pechanec her passenger, Dylan Blanchard, 18, of Great Bend, both received minor injuries. Pechanec and Blanchard were transported to Great Bend Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Great Bend Fire Department and EMS service assisted the Sheriff’s Office at the scene.