SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Team is investigating a violent three-vehicle collision east of Derby on Tuesday evening that left three people hospitalized, two in critical condition. Authorities are looking into whether a mobile device played a role in the accident.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the intersection of 79th Street South and Greenwich Road just after 7:30 p.m., according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Branden Stitt.
A preliminary investigation reveals that an 18-year-old Derby man was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee eastbound on 79th Street South when he failed to stop at a posted stop sign. The Jeep entered the intersection and broadsided a southbound GMC Yukon carrying five passengers. In addition to the stop sign violation, investigators are actively examining whether the teen’s use of a mobile device contributed to the crash.
The force of the initial impact caused the Yukon to spin out of control, sending it into the path of a northbound Lexus GX460 occupied by two people.
The crash resulted in several injuries, primarily to the occupants of the Oklahoma-based Yukon:
- Critical Condition: A 61-year-old man from Oklahoma City and a 74-year-old man from Edmond sustained life-threatening injuries and were rushed to local hospitals by EMS. Stitt confirmed that both men remain hospitalized but their conditions are improving.
- Serious Condition: A 71-year-old man from Mustang, Oklahoma, was hospitalized in serious condition.
- Minor Injuries: The driver of the Yukon, a 66-year-old Mustang man, and a 76-year-old front-seat passenger from Indiahoma, Oklahoma, suffered minor injuries and declined hospital transport.
The occupants of the Lexus—a 37-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, both from Derby—suffered minor injuries and were not taken to the hospital. The 18-year-old driver of the Jeep was also evaluated at the scene and was not transported by EMS.
The intersection was closed for an extended period Tuesday night as the Major Crash Team documented the scene and reconstructed the sequence of events. The investigation remains ongoing.
