Two fatally injured in Thursday accident

Friday, June 6, 2008

Tribune Staff Report

A car ran head-on into a semi on U.S. Highway 69 south of Trading Post Thursday in Linn County, killing both the driver and passenger, according to Kansas Highway Patrol.

Amber L. Gust, of Claycomo, Mo., was driving north on U.S. 69 when she passed a tractor trailer. Gust continued driving northbound in the southbound lane. A FedEx, hauling a double trailer, was also southbound. The truck, driven by Kevin R. King, 46, of Kansas City, Mo., rounded the bridge south of Trading Post. The FedEx truck and Gust's 2005 Hyundai Elantra collided head-on, according to KHP.

Gust, 30, and her passenger, Brian J. Bender, 35, of Kansas City, Mo., died in the accident. Bender was wearing a safety restraint but Gust was not, according to KHP.

King, also wearing a safety restraint, did not suffer any injuries.

KHP and Kansas Department of Transportation shut down a 7-mile stretch of the highway for several hours after the accident. They re-routed southbound traffic to Kansas Highway 135 at La Cygne and vehicles headed northbound had to take Highway 52 west to Mound City.