Cattle cause pair of Highway 61 accidents; man taken to hospital

    Cattle in the roadway on north Highway 61 last week resulted in two separate accidents, one of which sent an Imperial man to the hospital.
    Chase County Sheriff Kevin Mueller said the first of two late night accidents was reported about 10 p.m. July 13, north on the highway near mile marker 44.
    Deputy Duncan Einspahr was dispatched to the scene, reporting an Aurora Coop Elevator Co. semi  driven by Travis Ogg, 35, of Grant was pulling a tanker-trailer and collided with four cattle in the roadway just before a large thunderstorm made its way through Chase County.
    The driver was not injured, according to the report, but the semi sustained functional damage.
    It was discovered, Mueller said, that more cattle were loose along the highway. Further investigation found an estimated 180 head owned by Dan Reeves of Imperial had escaped their enclosure about two miles west of the accident location.
    “That stretch of highway was eventually cleared of debris and the large group of cattle,” Mueller reported.        However, another accident was reported later, at 10:48 p.m., when five head of cattle were struck by a south-bound 2018 Ford F350 pickup near mile marker 46, Mueller said.
    Driver Perry Vetter, 27, of Imperial received minor injuries and was transported to Chase County Community Hospital by Imperial EMS.
    Vetter’s pickup was totaled.
    The Imperial Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the scene.