MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — A Mount Hope man was critically injured Monday morning when he was struck by a vehicle after stopping to help at a crash in southeastern Reno County.
The Reno County Sheriff’s Office said emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 7:37 a.m. Oct. 5 to Boundary Road and Victory Road, where two collisions occurred in rapid succession.
Deputies determined a juvenile driving an eastbound 2013 Ford Edge crossed the center line while making a gradual left turn on Boundary Road and struck a westbound 2017 Toyota RAV4 driven by Ayat Tbaba of Mount Hope.
Following that collision, Nicholas Meyer and Geralynn Hilger, both of Mount Hope, stopped their vehicles in the eastbound lane. Meyer was driving a 2010 Chrysler Town & Country, and Hilger was driving a 2018 Ford Edge.
A juvenile driving a 2010 Mercury Milan then rear-ended Hilger’s stopped Ford Edge, pushing it into Meyer’s vehicle and striking Nicholas Hilger of Mount Hope, according to the sheriff’s office. Nicholas Hilger had witnessed the initial crash, stopped nearby and left his vehicle to provide medical aid.
EMS transported Nicholas Hilger to an area hospital in critical condition. Geralynn Hilger and the juvenile driving the 2013 Ford Edge were taken to an area hospital in stable condition. All others involved were evaluated by EMS and released at the scene.
Responding agencies included the sheriff’s office, Reno County EMS, Haven EMS, Reno County Fire, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
The Reno County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate.