Saline County Road Closed for Vigil Honoring Teens Killed in Crash
Saline County is temporarily closing a road leading out of Salina to the west on Thursday evening for a vigil honoring Vance McComber and Anthony Windell, who died in a car crash on March 15th.
The community has shown support through a memorial at the accident site, the sheriff’s office will close West Crawford between Fairchilds and Burma Roads from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 28th for an organized vigil.
Origianl Story
According to Sheriff Roger Soldan, on Friday, March 15th, tragedy struck the 2800 block of West Crawford near Fairchild Road at 6:26 pm, as a head-on collision unfolded. Preliminary reports suggest that a pair of Chevy Camaros were engaged in drag racing, resulting in a devastating crash.
A 2001 Chevy Camaro was traveling westbound on Crawford Street. A blue 2022 Chevy Silverado was traveling eastbound on Crawford Street. The Camaro was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane when they collided head-on with the Silverado.
The Camaro was driven by 17-year-old Vance R McComber. Passengers in the Camaro include Anthony J Windell, and Alfonso D Torres Ramirez, both 17-years-old. McComber was not believed to be wearing a seatbelt; it is unknown if Windell was wearing a seatbelt, and Torres Ramirez was wearing a seatbelt.
The front occupants of the vehicle, McComber and Windell were pronounced dead at the scene. Torres Ramirez was transported to Salina Regional Health Center (SRHC) with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Silverado was driven by Rosa Vasquez, 42, of Lorraine, KS, and 12-year-old Judy Vasquez was a passenger in the truck. Both occupants of the truck were transported to SRHC with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
An additional vehicle traveling eastbound in front of the Silverado narrowly avoided the collision by veering off the road. The other vehicle involved in the racing incident, a blue 2017 Chevy Camaro, and its driver and occupants have been identified, and investigations are ongoing.