Updated Oct. 21 at 5:50 p.m.

RENO COUNTY — The three men killed Sunday morning in a head-on crash have been identified.

James L. Paige, 59, from Haven was the sole occupant of his vehicle. In the other vehicle was 61-year-old Bruce C. Gottwald of Richmond, Virginia, and 65-year-old Michael K. Burnett of Lynchburg, Virginia.

When Reno County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday, they found the two pickup trucks with heavy front-end damage.

Reno County EMS arrived on scene and confirmed that the three men died from injuries from the crash. Firefighters with the Hutchinson Fire Department had to extricate all three victims because of extensive damage to the vehicle.

The accident occurred in the 3400 block of South Yoder Road and is still under investigation.

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Original Story

RENO COUNTY — Three men were killed Sunday morning in a head-on crash in the 3400 block of South Yoder Road, south of Hutchinson.

Reno County sheriff’s deputies responded just after 11:30 a.m. and found two pickup trucks with heavy front-end damage.

Reno County EMS arrived and confirmed that three men were deceased on scene. Firefighters with the Hutchinson Fire Department had to extricate all three victims because of extensive damage to the vehicle.

The Kansas Highway Patrol chart team was called to the scene for the accident diagram.

The names of the deceased have not been released since next of kin has not been notified.

The accident is still under investigation.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission appears to have a light agenda when it meets Tuesday at the Reno County Courthouse.

Commissioners will get a Reno County EMS update and consider the request to declare an ambulance as salvage. The chassis will be sold for scrap and the remaining parts will be used for the existing fleet.

The commission will also get an update from the Reno County appraiser.

The commissioners meet Tuesday at 9 a.m.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Reno County man saw his charges become more severe after a preliminary hearing in the case.

Joe Webster was originally charged with aggravated sexual battery, but after hearing from the victim and other witnesses, the state amended the charge to rape and added a second count of aggravated criminal sodomy.

The felonies involve the sexual touching of a woman that he was friends with. The victim testified that she was at a party near Pretty Prairie and had been drinking heavily. She admits to falling down in the mud. She eventually called Webster and asked him to come get her. He did and she passed out at his home on the couch. It was during that time the sexual assault allegedly occurred. She told the court that she thought she was dreaming during that time. Webster’s roommate witnessed what occurred. After the victim asked him what happened a few days later, he told her. His description matched what she thought was happening in a dream. She was shocked and not sure what to do. She eventually reported the incident.

This allegedly occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, 2018.

Both charges are level one felonies, which could see him in prison for a significant amount of time depending on his criminal history.

Webster will be arraigned on the charges Nov. 4.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which first began in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence as a Day of Unity to connect battered women’s advocates across the country.

The number of domestic violence cases seems to be on the rise. Donna Davis, the executive director of BrightHouse in Hutchinson, talked about the latest available numbers of domestic cases in the area.

“In Reno County in 2017, there were 822 calls to HPD about domestic violence,” Davis said. “There were 478 arrests, so just think about Reno County, that’s a significant number of arrests for domestic violence and that’s up from 2016, so it’s not becoming less prevalent, it’s becoming more prevalent.”

So what makes people become abusers? Davis says there are a number of factors that drive some to act violently toward someone they supposedly care about.

“Drugs, alcohol, poverty, lack of education, lack of hope and an inability to cope with those things in their lives,” Davis said. “Domestic violence is primarily a power and control issue for an abuser. For some reason, that person has a need to have control and that’s how they get their power and control, through physical violence, intimidation, through wanting to control the other person.”

She adds that, most times, the victim will go back to the abuser as many as seven times before they finally leave. Why is that?

“They have all the money, all the power, they have the vehicle, the credit card and they have the lease in their name,” Davis said. “They have taken their birth certificate, driver’s license and social security card.”

When a suspect in a domestic abuse case appears in court, the judge will usually order no contact with the alleged victim. The victim can also get a protection from abuse order through the court system. However, Davis says some won’t seek one out of fear.

“If the abuser has threatened to kill them and the kids, you give a second thought to leaving, is it worth that,” Davis said. In 2017, she says there were 38 domestic violence homicides in Kansas.

BrightHouse helps victims of domestic violence and has an emergency shelter and a 24-hour crisis line at 800-701-3630. For more information on the services BrightHouse provides, call 620-665-3630.

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, has issued public health advisories or watches for lakes in the area because of blue-green algae.

Marion County Lake was lifted from being under a warning on Oct. 17. There is still a watch for Lake Afton in Sedgwick County.

A watch means that blue-green algae has been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.

During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Water may be unsafe for humans and animals, so avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people or pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.

Swimming, wading, skiing, and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms. Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water and wash with clean water after any contact.

Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment takes samples of publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algal blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.

Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.

TOPEKA, Kan. — The latest unemployment numbers for Hutchinson and Reno County saw the rate for both decline in September from where they were in August.

The rate for Hutchinson was at 2.9% last month, down from 3.8% in August. That’s also lower than the rate in September of 2018 when it was 3.5%.

The unemployment rate for Reno County was at 2.8% last month, down from 3.6% in August. That’s also slightly lower than the 3.2% in September of 2018.

According to labor department numbers, there were 828 residents of the county looking for work in September, most of those people live in Hutchinson.

All of the regional counties also saw declines in their rates.

For the entire state, the numbers show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.2% in September, unchanged from August and down from 3.3% in September of 2018.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 24-year-old Hutchinson man now has a civil case pending after the Kansas Court of Appeals affirmed his convictions and sentence.

Fredrick Lemons Jr. was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for his involvement in a home invasion where a local man was beaten and robbed.

Lemons was convicted of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated battery, criminal threat and two counts of criminal damage.

The home invasion occurred on May 14, 2015, at a home in the 3400 block of North Waldron. That was one of two invasions during that time period, but Lemons was only suspected in the one case.

He has filed a habeas corpus motion trying to seek relief from that sentence. This type of motion is filed when a defendant has exhausted all other appeals.

Reno County District Judge Tim Chambers has scheduled a hearing over this motion during his Friday criminal docket at 10:30 a.m.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s that time of year when the reports of deer-vehicle crashes occur. The Reno County Sheriff’s Office has taken several reports in the past week of residents striking deer with vehicles. Luckily, no injuries were reported with any of those crashes.

Mating season and the quest for more secure habitat have deer on the move this time of year, increasing the chances of these types of collisions.

“Wet weather this year may cause some deer to cross roads in new places and the additional vegetation growth could make deer harder to see until they are in the road. The approaching breeding season increases deer movement, and the cooler weather, along with young deer dispersing to find new home ranges, mean more deer may be crossing the roads,” Levi Jaster, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism big game coordinator, said.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, 10,734 — 16.5% — of the 64,933 vehicle crashes reported in 2018 were deer-related, crashes in which a deer and vehicle actually collided, or the presence of a deer was a contributing circumstance. Although crashes involving deer occur throughout the year in every Kansas county, the highest number of crashes typically occur where there are the most vehicles. Sedgwick County had 418 deer-vehicle crashes reported in 2018, the most of any county, while Butler County followed with 384 reported deer-vehicle crashes.

“In addition to potentially causing human injuries and loss of life, deer collisions often cause significant vehicle damage that can lead to large expenses for the vehicle owner if not properly insured,” Shawn Steward, public and government affairs manager for AAA Kansas, said. “Of the animal strikes reported by AAA insurance policy holders during the five year period between 2014 and 2018, the average cost per claim was nearly $4,300.”

Typically, the greatest number of deer-vehicle crashes are in mid-November when the rut, or mating season, peaks. In addition to the rut, deer are also on the move in mid-fall seeking new food sources and shelter as crops are harvested and leaves fall from trees and shrubs, leaving them less secure than in their summer habitats, according to officials with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

Law enforcement is urging caution for drivers to refrain from making exaggerated maneuvers to avoid a deer in the road, which could make a bad situation become even worse. Authorities suggest hitting the animal and not swerving to avoid it.

The most likely times when such crashes can occur are at dusk and dawn.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — More fake money has been handed out at local businesses in recent weeks. The latest was reported at a local restaurant carry-out and delivery service on Wednesday.

An employee reported receiving a fake $100 bill.

Businesses are reminded to be vigilant in making sure all currency received is real.