Reno County Sheriff’s Officials worked an injury accident just prior to the severe storms that included the sighting of brief tornadoes in Reno County.

It was a one vehicle accident in the area of 56th & Buhler-Haven Road, according to Sheriff Captain Wayne Baughman.

The victim identified as 19-year-old Tanner James Crawford, of Buhler was trapped inside. He was extracted by fire personnel in critical condition and taken by Eagle Med Helicopter to a Wichita hospital. The helicopter was able to get off the ground just prior to the severe storms hitting the area.

Crawford advised that he had left home in Buhler about 10:30 p-m Monday night and went to Wal-Mart. He was apparently was headed home northbound on Buhler-Haven Road when for an unknown reason he lost control of the vehicle, went across the road, off the south embankment on the west side of the bridge. The vehicle flipped over and landed on the west bank, partially in the water.

Crawford was disoriented and dehydrated and had undetermined injuries. It’s unknown if he was wearing a seatbelt at the time.

He works in McPherson and had not reported for work Monday according to Baughman who tells us, “he was very lucky.”