Syracuse Teen Dies In Early Sunday Accident

SYRACUSE -Four juveniles were involved in a one vehicle accident early Sunday morning that ultimately claimed the life of one of them.

According to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, at approximately 2:35 Sunday morning, Felipe  Gutierrez, 17, of Syracuse, was driving a 2007 Grand Cherokee 4.6 miles north from the K51/U83 Junction in Seward County, when he attempted to negotiate a curve. The report from the KHP states “for an unknown reason, the Grand Cherokee left the roadway to the northbound shoulder.”

Gutierrez apparently overcorrected, according to the KHP, and the Jeep Cherokee entered a side skid, traveling north in the southbound lanes, before entering the ditch. “The Grand Cherokee continued the side skid while in the ditch, then tipped and rolled an unknown number of times before coming to rest upright facing southwest.”

Gutierrez was taken to Southwest Medical Center with “suspected serious injuries Authorities said he was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. There were three juvenile passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash. One of the juveniles, who authorities said was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered fatal injuries and was taken to Hornung Mortuary. The other two juveniles suffered “suspected minor injuries.”  One of those passengers was wearing a seatbelt and the other was not. Authorities did not release further information on the juveniles citing “the juvenile records are protected data.”