Hazel M. Schmidt: U.S. Highway 50
claims another life
Several lives changed and one ended
just after 1 p.m. Friday on a stretch of U.S. Highway 50 that has
claimed several lives during the past five years.
Hazel M. Schmidt, 85, of Hesston, died
in a traffic accident about a third of a mile east of Walton on
Highway 50 when a 1997 Honda driven by Harold D. Schmidt, 88, of
Hesston, collided with a 1991 Buick Park Avenue driven by Marie E.
Kuhn, 71, of Haysville.
Harold Schmidt and Kuhn were injured
and taken to Newton Medical Center in the two-vehicle accident near
Hilltop Convenience Store in Walton.
Schmidt's eastbound Honda was
attempting to make a left-hand turn into the store's parking lot and
was hit broadside by Kuhn's westbound Buick, said Kansas Highway
Patrol trooper G.L. Warner. Excessive speed or lack of visibility
does not appear to be a factor, Warner said.
Cindy Brown, a sales clerk in the
store, says she didn't see or hear the accident and first knew about
it when a woman came into the store and asked to call 911. "It's
a sad deal," Brown said as she looked out at the scene.
The 911 call came in at 1:05 p.m., said
Merlin Johnson, assistant fire chief for Harvey County Fire District
No. 1. Highway 50, which had seen its share of major accidents in
years past, has been relatively clear of them lately, Johnson says.
"It's been a while since we've had a bad one like this," he
says.
Hazel M. Schmidt was taken to Broadway
Colonial Funeral home. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Newton Kansan, The (KS) - Saturday,
June 3, 2006
