Two accidents causing injuries in Geary County Monday afternoon appear to be related.
Michael Rickenbrode, 45, of Hope, and reportedly with the Geary County Sheriff’s Department, was injured when reportedly assisting with another accident on I-70 three miles west of Junction City. Rickenbrode’s 2010 Ford Crown Vic owned by the sheriff’s department was stopped in the right lane of I-70 with its lights on, when a 2005 Chevy Impala driven by Nancy Meade, 59, of Abilene struck the rear end of the vehicle. Rickenbrode, Meade, and a passenger in her vehicle, Altha Brewster, 82, also of Abilene, were all taken to Geary Community Hospital. That accident was reported shortly after 1:30 Monday afternoon.
Rickenbrode apparently had responded to an accident reported at 1:15 at that same location, which involved a 1998 Ford Expedition which was westbound on I-70. The driver in that crash is identified as Sandra Soto, 37, of Goodland, who lost control due to icy conditions, causing the vehicle to enter the north ditch, travel up an embankment, roll back down,and re-enter the roadway, coming to rest on its wheels. Soto was also injured and required transport to Geary Community Hospital. All the passengers in Soto’s vehicle were also transported including Jose Hernandez, 38, Araiadne Hernandez,14, Alvaro Soto, 6, and Viriadna Soto,25, all of Goodland.
A Geary Community Hospital official indicates seven of the eight were treated and released, with the exception of Altha Brewster.
