One person dead after crash south of Augusta

CREATED Jan. 4, 2013

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A man was killed when his Dodge passenger car crashed head-on with a semi south of Augusta Friday afternoon. 

The accident happened at the north end of a bridge across the river on Highway 77. The car apparently crossed the center line into the path of the tractor trailer. It wasn't clear what caused the driver to make the fatal mistake.
 
"We had an independent witness that basically said that he saw him cross over in front of the semi and that was it," said Kansas Highway Patrol Master Trooper Brian Grunder.
 
The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was transported to Wichita for treatment. 
 
KDOT workers were at the scene to make sure that leaking diesel fuel from the semi did not run into the river. The highway was closed for hours.