A crash involving a semi in southern Osage County led to suspected serious injuries for the driver early Thursday.
The Kansas Highway Patrol says 31-year-old Eduardo Rivera-Villareal was northbound when the semi crashed about 40 miles east-northeast of Emporia shortly before 3 am. Rivera-Villareal apparently failed to negotiate a curve, sending the semi into the center median. Rivera-Villareal then overcorrected, causing the semi to go across both northbound lanes of traffic before overturning.
Rivera-Villareal was taken to Overland Park Regional for treatment. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
A separate crash in wet conditions was reported as an injury crash on the Kansas Turnpike, but the two occupants were either unhurt or declined treatment. The crash happened shortly before 8:20 am near mile marker 111, just southwest of the Flint Hills cattle pens exit. The driver, 48-year-old Gentry Nichols of Ottawa, lost control of his pickup, hydroplaned and crashed into the center barrier wall.
