OGDEN (KSNT) — A woman was critically injured after jumping from a bridge to avoid being hit during a four-vehicle crash Friday night on Highway K-18 near Ogden.
The crash happened around 8:44 p.m. near the East Riley Avenue off-ramp.
According to officials, the woman was standing on the shoulder when another vehicle began swerving to avoid debris and other vehicles in the roadway. The woman jumped from the bridge and fell about 70 feet.
Riley County EMS and Riley County Fire District #1 searched for the woman before the Manhattan Fire Department was called in to assist.
Firefighters used high-angle rescue equipment to reach and lift her from the area below the bridge.
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The woman was taken to Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan before being flown to Topeka for additional treatment. She was in critical condition at the time of transport. Officials said no further information about her condition is available.
K-18 reopened around 11:35 p.m. Friday.
The nearby Union Pacific Railroad line was also temporarily closed while crews searched for the woman. It was closed from about 9:20 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Riley County Police Department, Riley County Fire District #1, Riley County EMS, Manhattan Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Department of Transportation responded to the scene.
“This was a complex and rapidly developing scene,” Riley County Police Department Cpl. Jonathan Shepard said. “The coordinated effort allowed responders to safely manage the crash scene and complete the rescue.”
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