Oberlin woman killed in crash
12/22/2009
HOXIE — A 22-year-old Oberlin woman was killed in a two-vehicle crash Monday about 15 miles south of Hoxie in Sheridan County.
According to a Kansas Highway Patrol report, Lora E. Marietta was driving a compact car north on Kansas Highway 23 at 6:25 p.m. Monday when it was struck head-on by a southbound semitrailer driven by Manuel H. Ortega, 51, of Garden City. Ortega had crossed the center line to avoid a slower-moving vehicle in front of him, according to the report.
According to a nursing supervisor, Ortega was treated in the emergency department at Sheridan County Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the report.
Jesus M. Ortega, 27, of Garden City, a passenger in Ortega’s semitrailer, was not injured, according to the report. It was not known if he was wearing a seat belt.
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Aprilolaw says....
Tragedy for all involved, of course, Lora's family lost her forever, but we pray for the Ortega family as well, they have a big burden to live with, regardless of blame, fault, they need our prayers.
12/26/2009
piratecoach says....
That is a treacherous stretch of road...quite deadly. How sad for the family.
12/25/2009
says....
Dear Leah and Family,
Larry and I and the kids are so sorry to here about Lora. She was such a sweetheart and shining star... I am so glad I got to meet and compete with both Lora and Leah in powerlifting... We felt so blessed to have traveled with your whole family while competeing..We send our love and prayers to all of you... Love Linda King
Olathe ,Ks...
12/25/2009
Nidia Ortega says....
I didn't know Lora, but my uncle Manuel Ortega was driving the semi. My family is very distraught over what happened, and our prayers are with Lora's family. We can't imagine what they must be going through. The reason he tried to pass is because a vehicle suddenly cut in front of him (even though he honked at them) and he did not have enough time to hit the brakes (semi's cannot stop suddenly,they are too heavy). He was trying to prevent a wreck and trying to prevent from injuring the car in front of him. It was uphill and he did not see anyone in the other lane. He is very distraught. We are very saddened by her death and wish it could have been prevented.
12/25/2009
says....
I wish the narrow highways in northwest Kansas could be made wider,with shoulder's wide enough to handle the larger farm equipment that use these narrow roads.It's difficult to see around some of this equipment when you come up on it as well as the large semi trucks that travel all of these narrow highway's western Kansas.It's sad to hear of this happening to someone so young. We all need to use more caution out there when we come up on slow moving vehicle's out there,no matter if it is large farm equipment or someone that is driving slow for some unknown reason.God bless to the families and everyone involved in this tragiac accident.
12/24/2009
Ryan says....
Person above me, Please don't turn this into a political debate. Lora was a wonderful person and I was glad that I got the opportunity to get to know her through college. Lora, you will be missed and my best to your friends and family.
12/23/2009
glad to be an exminnesotain says....
If alot of these truckers would be more concerned about safety rather than maintaining their speed there would be alot less of these kind of accidents. If he had just slowed down instead of trying to pass the vehicle ahead of him she would still be alive today.
12/23/2009
Jana Strunk says....
Lora was a beautiful person, inside and out, with an amazing, powerful presence. She was an inspiration and will be missed by all. My prayers are with Leah and her parents.
12/22/2009
bluestem says....
KDOT is spending money hand over fist on K-18 to Manhattan. Round-a-bouts in JC and an overpass on K-18 that people couldn't believe was needed.
12/22/2009
says....
Lora will be greatly missed. She was a wonderful friend and would do anything for anyone. So sad.
12/22/2009
NWKANSAS says....
We have had two fatalities on K-23 south of Hoxie within the past couple of months. Three from Oberlin were killed just north of this wreck site a few years back. That road needs to be fixed. Law enforcement cannot do enforcement on that road as there's no place to pull over violators. How many is it going to take to get this road fixed? Decatur County commissioners took the unusual step of sending a letter to KDOT some time back asking for this road in Sheridan County to be upgraded because so many have been killed there and so much traffic from the northern county use this roadway. I know the state is short of money but they will spend thousands and thousands for round-a-bouts and nothing to improve a road that obviously is in dire need of repair. KDOT - are you listening?
12/22/2009
says....
Lora, we will all miss you at the Wildcat Battalion... Hooah for being such a wonderful person!!!
12/22/2009
Aprilolaw says....
So very sad, a college student going home for Christmas. Condolences to her family and friends.
12/22/2009
says....
I'm so lucky to have known Lora. She was an amazing, amazing young lady. Smart, beautiful, kind, compassionate... the best of the best! She will be missed terribly, but never forgotten! May the Lord comfort her family at this most difficult time.
12/22/2009
says....
A great person, athlete, and friend. Loving and passionate, always there for anyone. She will be missed by everyone.
12/22/2009
says....
What a tragic story. My heart goes out to this young woman's family. I've lived in Northwest Kansas my whole life and that stretch of highway south of Hoxie is AWFUL! It's very, very narrow and quite hilly... not safe at all for the huge amount of semi trucks that travel it daily. I sincerely hope that something is done to improve that road... a 4 lane highway would be ideal and hopefully prevent future tragedies.
12/22/2009
says....
And the United States wants to allow more semitrailers to come up from Mexico! That just means more deaths on US highways.
12/22/2009
Salina.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here. Read our full online terms of service policy.
scott and leslie craig says....
god, not even sure what to say. we thought alot of both girls, inspiration to all powerlifters. leslie and i send our love.
1/19/2010
Aprilolaw says....
Tragedy for all involved, of course, Lora's family lost her forever, but we pray for the Ortega family as well, they have a big burden to live with, regardless of blame, fault, they need our prayers.
12/26/2009
piratecoach says....
That is a treacherous stretch of road...quite deadly. How sad for the family.
12/25/2009
says....
Dear Leah and Family,
Larry and I and the kids are so sorry to here about Lora. She was such a sweetheart and shining star... I am so glad I got to meet and compete with both Lora and Leah in powerlifting... We felt so blessed to have traveled with your whole family while competeing..We send our love and prayers to all of you... Love Linda King
Olathe ,Ks...
12/25/2009
Nidia Ortega says....
I didn't know Lora, but my uncle Manuel Ortega was driving the semi. My family is very distraught over what happened, and our prayers are with Lora's family. We can't imagine what they must be going through. The reason he tried to pass is because a vehicle suddenly cut in front of him (even though he honked at them) and he did not have enough time to hit the brakes (semi's cannot stop suddenly,they are too heavy). He was trying to prevent a wreck and trying to prevent from injuring the car in front of him. It was uphill and he did not see anyone in the other lane. He is very distraught. We are very saddened by her death and wish it could have been prevented.
12/25/2009
says....
I wish the narrow highways in northwest Kansas could be made wider,with shoulder's wide enough to handle the larger farm equipment that use these narrow roads.It's difficult to see around some of this equipment when you come up on it as well as the large semi trucks that travel all of these narrow highway's western Kansas.It's sad to hear of this happening to someone so young. We all need to use more caution out there when we come up on slow moving vehicle's out there,no matter if it is large farm equipment or someone that is driving slow for some unknown reason.God bless to the families and everyone involved in this tragiac accident.
12/24/2009
Ryan says....
Person above me, Please don't turn this into a political debate. Lora was a wonderful person and I was glad that I got the opportunity to get to know her through college. Lora, you will be missed and my best to your friends and family.
12/23/2009
glad to be an exminnesotain says....
If alot of these truckers would be more concerned about safety rather than maintaining their speed there would be alot less of these kind of accidents. If he had just slowed down instead of trying to pass the vehicle ahead of him she would still be alive today.
12/23/2009
Jana Strunk says....
Lora was a beautiful person, inside and out, with an amazing, powerful presence. She was an inspiration and will be missed by all. My prayers are with Leah and her parents.
12/22/2009
bluestem says....
KDOT is spending money hand over fist on K-18 to Manhattan. Round-a-bouts in JC and an overpass on K-18 that people couldn't believe was needed.
12/22/2009
says....
Lora will be greatly missed. She was a wonderful friend and would do anything for anyone. So sad.
12/22/2009
NWKANSAS says....
We have had two fatalities on K-23 south of Hoxie within the past couple of months. Three from Oberlin were killed just north of this wreck site a few years back. That road needs to be fixed. Law enforcement cannot do enforcement on that road as there's no place to pull over violators. How many is it going to take to get this road fixed? Decatur County commissioners took the unusual step of sending a letter to KDOT some time back asking for this road in Sheridan County to be upgraded because so many have been killed there and so much traffic from the northern county use this roadway. I know the state is short of money but they will spend thousands and thousands for round-a-bouts and nothing to improve a road that obviously is in dire need of repair. KDOT - are you listening?
12/22/2009
says....
Lora, we will all miss you at the Wildcat Battalion... Hooah for being such a wonderful person!!!
12/22/2009
Aprilolaw says....
So very sad, a college student going home for Christmas. Condolences to her family and friends.
12/22/2009
says....
I'm so lucky to have known Lora. She was an amazing, amazing young lady. Smart, beautiful, kind, compassionate... the best of the best! She will be missed terribly, but never forgotten! May the Lord comfort her family at this most difficult time.
12/22/2009
says....
A great person, athlete, and friend. Loving and passionate, always there for anyone. She will be missed by everyone.
12/22/2009
says....
What a tragic story. My heart goes out to this young woman's family. I've lived in Northwest Kansas my whole life and that stretch of highway south of Hoxie is AWFUL! It's very, very narrow and quite hilly... not safe at all for the huge amount of semi trucks that travel it daily. I sincerely hope that something is done to improve that road... a 4 lane highway would be ideal and hopefully prevent future tragedies.
12/22/2009
says....
And the United States wants to allow more semitrailers to come up from Mexico! That just means more deaths on US highways.
12/22/2009
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