Woman rescued from SUV after early-morning crash west of Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A woman was rescued from her sport utility vehicle after it crashed early Thursday along a highway just west of Topeka.

The crash was reported around 5:25 a.m. near S.W. K-4 highway and Hodges Road.

Shawnee County sheriff’s officials said at the scene that the woman was driving a Buick Enclave Avenir SUV east on K-4 highway when she was blinded by the high beams of an oncoming vehicle.

The woman then over-corrected and the SUV went off the left -- or north -- side of the two-lane roadway, immediately east of Hodges Road.

The SUV traveled down a steep, grassy slope and the driver’s side came to rest against some heavy brush near the bottom of the slope.

Mission Township Fire Department crews used a chainsaw to remove some of the brush so the woman could get out of the vehicle.

The woman, who was reported uninjured, was placed on a stretcher that was attached to ropes and was taken up the embankment.

The woman then was able to stand up and a blanket was placed over her.

A wrecker had arrived by around 6:15 a.m. to pull the vehicle up and out of the embankment.

Traffic on K-4 highway in the area of the crash was restricted to a single lane as crews worked the scene.

Additional details weren’t immediately available.

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