A head-on crash in Marion County on Friday resulted in the deaths of three people, including two from Emporia, and several dogs.
The crash was on US Highway 56 about three miles east of Hillsboro, or almost 60 miles west of Emporia, around 12:10 pm. The Kansas Highway Patrol says an eastbound minivan driven by 30-year-old Nathan Puett of Salina went left of the center line for unlisted reasons and went head-on into a pickup driven by 70-year-old James Potter of Emporia. The truck caught fire and caused a small grass fire afterward.
Puett, Potter and a passenger in Potter’s truck, 61-year-old Jody Potter, were all killed. Two children in Puett’s minivan were taken to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with suspected serious injuries.
Wichita media says the Potter truck was pulling a trailer with as many as 20 greyhounds on board and several died. Trooper Ben Gardner tells KVOE News three dogs were found dead. The rest had not been found as of sunset.
