Icy roads lead to airborne semi-truck on NW Kansas highway

ST. FRANCIS, Kan. (WIBW) - Icy road conditions led to an airborne semi-truck on a highway near St. Francis in northwestern Kansas.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Crash Log indicates that around 6 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 16, emergency crews were called to the area of mile marker 21.9 on eastbound U.S. Highway 36 - about 8 miles east of St. Francis - with reports of an injury crash.

When officials arrived, they said they found a 2001 Peterbilt semi-truck driven by William Wilger, 62, of St. Francis, had been headed east on the highway when Wilger lost control of the truck due to the icy road conditions.

KHP said the semi went into the south ditch and hit a culvert which sent the vehicle airborne for a brief minute then landed back in the ditch.

Officials noted that Wilger was taken to Cheyenne County Hospital with suspected minor injuries. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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