Merriam, KS (May 8, 2024) – Two people were injured after a multi-vehicle accident in the Merriam area on Tuesday, May 7. The incident was reported on Interstate 35 SB near 67th Street late that night around 9:04 p.m. Local reports indicated that four vehicles were involved in the accident.
It was later revealed that a 2011 Chevrolet SUV driven by 42-year-old Brooke R. Watts of Avant, OK was traveling southbound on the interstate when it crashed into the rear of a stopped 2015 BMW passenger vehicle driven by 27-year-old Eduardo Martinez Mendoza of East Dundee, IL. Mendoza was stopped at a light along with a 2006 GMC van driven by 37-year-old Banos F. Meijia of Faribault, MN, and a 2019 Audi passenger driven by 18-year-old Caitlyn W. Huang of Lenexa.
The impact caused Mendoza to crash into the rear of the GMC, which in turn hit the back of the Audi. Watts and a passenger in the BMW, 20-year-old Laura Ontiveros, were injured in the crash. Watts was transported to Overland Park Regional Hospital, and Ontiveros was transferred by ambulance to Advent Hospital. No updates on the accident are currently available. An ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash is in progress.
Our thoughts are with the injured victims and their families at this time. We hope for their full recovery.
Rear-end Collisions in Kansas
It is already difficult to predict a crash. Unless your eyes are glued to the rearview mirror, you will not know when someone will hit you from behind. Rear-end crashes make up the largest crash category in the United States, with over 1.7 million reported each year. These nearly two million rear-end collisions cause 500,000 injuries and 1,700 fatalities annually on average. It can be difficult to pursue recovery on your own after a serious crash, and it is always in your best interests to work closely with a qualified Merriam car accident lawyer. The trained legal team at Bretz Injury Law is ready to get to work on your case. Give us a call today at 620-524-0080.
