RILEY COUNTY, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman was severely injured on Friday after officials said she jumped from a bridge to avoid being struck by a vehicle that was involved in a multi-car crash on Highway K-18.
According to the Riley County Police Department and the Manhattan Fire Department, emergency crews responded to a four-vehicle crash on Highway K-18 near the East Riley Avenue off-ramp at Ogden.
When crews arrived, people at the scene reported that a woman who was standing on the shoulder had jumped from the bridge to avoid being struck by a vehicle. Officials say that vehicle was reportedly swerving to avoid debris and other vehicles in the roadway.
The woman fell about 70 feet and sustained major injuries.
Riley County Emergency Medical Services and Riley County Fire District #1 searched for the woman. The Manhattan Fire Department was also called to assist and used high-angle rescue equipment to lift the woman from the area below the bridge.
She was taken to the Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan and later taken by helicopter to Topeka for more treatment.
The woman was reported to be in critical condition at the time she was transported. Officials say no further details about her condition are available at this time.
K-18 was closed temporarily from Scenic Drive to Riley Avenue, but reopened around 11:35 p.m.
The Union Pacific Railroad line was also closed from around 9:20 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. as crews searched for the woman.
The responding agencies included the Riley County Police Department, Riley County Fire District #1, Riley County Emergency Medical Services, Manhattan Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas Department of Transportation.
“Manhattan Fire Department is grateful for the coordinated response by all agencies involved,” said MFD Battalion Chief Sam Dameron. “The quick thinking, teamwork, and professionalism shown by responders helped ensure the patient could be rescued and transported for further care.”
Corporal Jonathan Shepard of the Riley County Police Department said, “This was a complex and rapidly developing scene. The coordinated effort allowed responders to safely manage the crash scene and complete the rescue.”
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