Two men were hospitalized with serious injuries when a rural route United States Postal carrier collided with a passenger car west of Ellinwood Wednesday morning.

According to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, at shortly after 11 a.m., BCSO responded to a report of an injury crash at the intersection of East Barton County Road and NE 70 Avenue, about 3 miles east of Ellinwood. A 1994 Jeep, driven by Ronald D. Hanhardt, 71, of Otis, and carrying U.S. Mail, was northbound on NE 70 Avenue and failed to yield right-of-way to a 2001 Dodge passenger car operated by Preston L. McCord, 18, of Ellinwood. The vehicles collided in the intersection continuing to the northwest, coming to rest in the ditch and field. The Jeep rolled onto its side, pinning Hanhardt in the vehicle for a short period of time. He was extracted by the Ellinwood Fire Department. 

Both drivers sustained what were believed to be serious injuries and were transported to Ellinwood District Hospital by Ellinwood EMS. 

At some point during the crash, a large quantity of mail Hanhardt was carrying was ejected from the vehicle. Officials from the United States Postal Service were contacted to recover the letters and parcels.

BCSO was assisted at the scene by the Ellinwood Police Department, Ellinwood Fire Department and Ellinwood EMS service.