Two Marion women die in chain-reaction accident
Marion High School student seriously injured
Two Marion women died Monday afternoon in a tragic four-vehicle accident on U.S.-50.
Brandi R. Billbe, 40, and Lori B. Leeders, 42, were fatally injured and passenger Ashley Billbe, 15, was seriously injured in the accident.
According to a report provided by the Kansas Highway Patrol, at 2:10 p.m. a 1996 Ford van driven by Brandi R. Billbe was westbound on U.S.-50 in Harvey County near the Marion County line. The vehicle was slowing down or coming to a stop due to road construction.
A semi tractor-trailer failed to slow down in time and struck the rear of the van. The van spun sideways and hit the back of a Federal Express truck.
Billbe and Leeders were ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. Ashley Billbe, who was riding in the backseat of the van, was airlifted to Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis in Wichita.
The Federal Express truck made contact with a fourth vehicle, a 1995 Chevrolet Lumina.
The driver of the semi was 61-year-old J.B. Miser of Emporia. He was taken by ambulance to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
Ryan D. Kugler, 27, New Cambria, the driver of the Federal Express truck, and Katherine M. Boesker, 53, Peabody, the driver of the Chevrolet Lumina, were not injured.
Fire crews from Peabody and Marion responded due to a fire igniting in the semi.
Peabody Fire Department returned to the accident scene at 6 p.m. Monday to extinguish a smoldering tire that was discovered when the semi was being removed.
The highway was closed from the time of the accident until approximately 7 p.m. Monday evening.
The conditions of Ashley Billbe and Miser were not known at press time.
