Update: Accident on K-7 injures Osawatomie woman and son

The Kansas HIghway Patrol that an accident on Tuesday on Kansas Highway 7 seriously injured a woman and her son. (Journal file photo)

By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com

Update: A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help Whitney Minchew and her son cover medical costs. Click here for a link to that site.

LA CYGNE – A 31-year-old Osawatomie woman and her 3-year-old son were seriously injured on Tuesday, July 1, when a truck driven by a 15-year-old turned in front of the vehicle the woman was driving.

According to a report by the Kansas Highway Patrol, a 2014 Toyota car driven by Whitney Minchew was traveling southbound just before 11:30 a.m. on Kansas Highway 7 near the intersection of 1900 Road, or about 14 miles south of the U.S. Highway 169 interchange. 

At the same time a 2017 Ford pickup driven by Kalven Shelton was northbound on K-7 and began to make a left turn into a private driveway. His truck struck the car in the center of the southbound lane.

Minchew received serious injuries and was transported by air ambulance to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She was not wearing a safety restraint. 

Her son, Oden, was taken by air ambulance to Children’s Mercy Hospital with suspected serious injuries. He was wearing a safety restraint.

Shelton was not wearing a safety restraint but had no apparent injuries.

According to posts by family members on Facebook on Wednesday, Minchew remained hospitalized in stable condition. Posts also noted that she was pregnant. Her son had surgery and is expected to be released within days.