Newton man killed in cycle accident
Bill Wilson
Newton Kansan
WICHITA -- A 46-year-old Newton man was
killed Friday night in a car-motorcycle accident in Wichita.
Ralph Joseph Bogunovich, of 1601 E.
10th, died Friday night when he was thrown from a motorcycle into the
path of an oncoming vehicle, Wichita Police Department Detective Tim
Mitchell said.
Bogunovich was a passenger on a
motorcycle driven by Scott Blanchat of Wichita, Mitchell said. The
bike was northbound on River Park, at what Mitchell said was a high
rate of speed, at about 7:20 p.m. Friday night when the motorcycle
fell over, throwing both Blanchat and Bogunovich off. Bogunovich then
slid into the path of an oncoming southbound vehicle and was struck.
Mitchell said neither Blanchat or
Bogunovich were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
Blanchat, 22, remains hospitalized at
Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis campus in critical
condition with head injuries and multiple broken bones.
Plans tentatively call for benefits in
the coming weeks for a college fund for Bogunovich's children. He is
survived by his wife, Lisa, two sons, Scott Andrew and Kelly Allen of
Newton, and three daughters, Ashley Marie and Jennifer Luella of
Newton and Melanie Rachelle Caskanett of St. Louis.
Bogunovich worked at Brittain Machine
in Wichita.
