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Probe continues into fatal crash

By Caroline Trowbridge - | Aug 24, 2005

Kansas Highway Patrol officials are continuing work on their report from a three-vehicle accident last week that took the life of a Tonganoxie woman.

Lt. John Eichkorn of the highway patrol said the report likely will be available late this week or early next week. It likely then will be forwarded to the Leavenworth County attorney’s office for review to determine whether any charges will be filed.

Rita Dally, 52, Tonganoxie was killed in the accident. Her obituary appears on page 2A of this week’s edition of The Mirror.

Although the highway patrol’s initial report said that Mrs. Dally was not wearing a seat belt when her van was struck twice from behind, troopers last week were reviewing that initial finding. Their final conclusion will not be available until the report is released, Eichkorn said.

The accident occurred about 7:30 a.m. Aug. 16 on U.S. Highway 24-40, when Mrs. Dally, who was traveling north, was stopped, preparing to turn left onto Honey Creek Road.

Her 1997 Dodge Van was struck from behind by a 1998 Ford sport utility vehicle driven by Sara Schlicht, 16, Tonganoxie. Mrs. Dally’s van then was struck by another northbound vehicle, a 1996 Buick, driven by Timothy Bohannan, 29, Topeka.

Bohannan and his passenger, Mike Bohannan, 30, Merriam, were taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where they were treated and released. Neither man was wearing a seat belt, the highway patrol’s initial report said.

Neither Schlicht, nor her passenger, Rob Schlicht, 14, was injured. Both were wearing seatbelts, the patrol said.