Father, infant son injured in ice-related accident on U.S. 69

A Fort Scott man and his infant son were taken to metro-area hospitals following an accident on northbound U.S. Highway 69 on Saturday. (Journal file photo)

Journal staff report

PLEASANTON – A 23-year-old Fort Scott man and his 1-year-old son received minor injuries on Saturday, Jan. 4, when the truck they were in slid on a bridge, rolled and landed in a pond on the right side of the roadway.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol report, Caleb Briggs was driving his 1999 Ford 250 northbound on U.S. Highway 69 about 3:30 p.m. when the accident occurred. The accident happened two miles south of the Kansas Highway 52 intersection (the Trading Post exit) after freezing rain began to fall in the area earlier that afternoon.

Linn County first responders reported to the accident scene, including deputies and firefighters. The highway patrol notified the county dispatch that the nearest trooper available was at Pittsburg.

Briggs, who was wearing a seat belt, was taken to Overland Park Regional Medical Center with suspected minor injuries. His son, who was restrained in a car seat, was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital, also with suspected minor injuries.

Reports from the scene to Linn County central dispatch indicated that the man suffered a head injury but was talking to others at the scene in the aftermath of the accident.

There are no guardrails to slow or prevent vehicles from going into the water near the wildlife preserve south of Trading Post on U.S. 69. Briggs' truck struck a fence, but it did little to stop the vehicle.Two years ago, four members of a Texas family were killed when the truck they were riding in hit an icy patch, slid off U.S. 69, rolled twice and landed on its roof in the flooded wetland area.