Funeral services set for two Tonganoxie 21-year-olds
Two 21-year-old men from Tonganoxie, Jacob Wyrick and Benjamin Pickert, were killed early this morning in a car-semi truck accident near 21st and Iowa streets, according to Lawrence police.
The accident occurred shortly before 2 a.m.
¢ Funeral services for Jacob Wayne Wyrick will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 17, 2006, at Tonganoxie Christian Church. Burial will be in Hubbel Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour before service time Monday at the Church.
¢ Funeral services for Benjamin McKibbon Pickert will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, 2006, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Tonganoxie, where the family will receive friends one hour before services. Private inurnment will follow.
According to Lawrence police spokesperson Kim Murphee, Wyrick was driving a 2001 Ford Mustang in which Pickert was a passenger.
The driver of the semi truck, 58-year-old Paul Ladourdette, Quebec, Canada, was not injured.
Police said the driver of the tractor trailer was heading north but had stopped in the street when he saw the Mustang spinning out of control, coming toward him.
“He was doing everything he could to avoid the accident,” Murphree said. “The car was spinning. It spun into and hit the tractor-trailer. Both of the 21-year-olds were pronounced dead at the scene.”
The wreck occurred during heavy rains.
Murphree said that speed, weather and alcohol would be investigated as possible contributing factors, but that it was too early to say which played a role.
She asked anyone who may have seen the vehicle driving south on Iowa between Ninth Street and the scene before the wreck to contact police at (785) 832-7501.
Murphree said she didn’t have information yet about whether the men were wearing seat belts. A complete report will be released Tuesday, she said.
The accident closed Iowa Street from 19th to 23rd streets until about 6:30 a.m.
For more on the accident, see the Wednesday, July 19, edition of The Mirror.
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