On Thursday, July 10, at about 9 a.m. Barton County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to an injury accident at the intersection of K-96 highway and 30 Avenue, just northwest of the city of Great Bend. Upon arrival, deputies located a two-vehicle accident involving a truck tractor / trailer combination loaded with hay and a pickup truck.
Investigation at the scene indicates that the 2007 Freightliner truck operated by Heinrich Roets, age 23 of Ellinwood, was slowing to make a right hand turn onto 30 Avenue when a 2000 Dodge pickup truck operated by Gavin Gisick, age 20 of Great Bend, struck the rear of the trailer at a high rate of speed.
Due to the heavy front-end damage on the pickup, Gisick was pinned in the vehicle for a short period of time and extricated by the Great Bend Fire Department and EMS Service. He was transported to The University of Kansas Health System - Great Bend Campus with serious injuries. He was later flown to a Wichita area hospital. The driver of the truck was not injured.
K-96 was closed for about one hour while Sheriff's Office personnel investigated the accident.