SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. — Five people were transported to the hospital late Saturday night following a serious collision involving a Wichita Police Department vehicle.
The accident occurred just after 10 p.m. at the intersection of Hillside Avenue and 1st Street. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), Officer Jayce D. Bennett, 22, was driving a 2020 Ford Explorer southbound on Hillside Avenue while responding to an emergency call with his lights activated.
Authorities report that Officer Bennett failed to safely clear the intersection, running a red light and striking an eastbound 2015 Hyundai Sonata driven by Morgan R. Singletary.
The impact caused the police SUV to roll into the northbound lanes, where it eventually came to rest on the sidewalk. The Hyundai Sonata spun multiple times before coming to a stop in the southbound lanes of Hillside Avenue.
Both drivers were transported to Wesley Medical Center with serious injuries. Three passengers in the Hyundai—Gabrielle L. Miller, 26, and Christina M. Dimattia, 27, both of Wichita, as well as Lauren A. Wools, 27, of Topeka—were also hospitalized with minor injuries.
According to the KHP, Officer Bennett and passenger Christina M. Dimattia were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
