11/5/2009
ERIN MATHEWS
A Salina woman is in critical condition today at Wesley Medical Center following a two-vehicle crash late Wednesday afternoon that snarled traffic and contributed to a second, non-injury crash, forcing the closure of part of Interstate Highway 135 for a time.
Robbin M. Ward, 23, 2030 N. Fifth, driver of one of the cars that collided at 3:46 p.m., was reported to be in critical condition at the Wichita hospital.
Abbey Bannister, 20, of Caldwell, a passenger in Ward’s car, was taken to Salina Regional Health Center and was also later transferred to Wesley. She is in fair condition today.
The collision occurred when a car driven by Sarah M. Simpson, 18, of Salina, moved into the lane Ward’s car was traveling in, striking Ward’s car, according to a preliminary Salina Police Department report. Both vehicles were traveling south at the time of the collision.
Ward’s car crossed the median, striking a guardrail on northbound I-135, then crossed both lanes of northbound traffic and went into a ditch, striking a fence, said Salina Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield.
Ward was trapped in the car when emergency responders arrived, Mansfield said.
Simpson was not injured.

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