A semi carrying a load of cattle crashes into a train near Cherryvale.
Yesterday at around 11:50am, Montgomery County Sheriff deputies, Cherryvale Fire and EMS, Cherryvale Rural Fire and the Cherryvale Police Department responded to a report of a tractor-trailer and train injury accident. The incident happened on Highway 169 at the railroad crossing just north of Cherryvale. First responders located a 2004 Peterbilt transporting a load of cattle. The vehicle, driven by 67-year-old Kenneth Wilkerson of El Dorado, had collided with the 22nd railcar of a WATCO and SKOL train.
The preliminary investigation indicates that the railroad crossing lights and safety arms were fully activated at the time of the crash, and that Wilkerson failed to stop. Wilkerson sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a regional hospital for treatment. The Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the scene and is assisting the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation, which remains ongoing. Several cattle were safely removed from the trailer and transported to their intended destination. Some animals did sustain significant injuries as a result of the crash.
