• 30
  • July
    2010

A car accident earlier this week resulted in the death of 21-year-old Kari Rinehart and serious injuries to her twin sister and another passenger in her car. The collision took place last Sunday night on East 29th Street in Wichita and may have been caused by another driver operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

According to reports, the crash occurred around 10:45 p.m. when a vehicle driven by a 36-year-old man, and traveling at a high rate of speed, sideswiped another car, then swerved into the median. After traveling a few hundred feet in the median, he then crossed the median into the westbound lane of traffic where his car collided with Rinehart's vehicle.

Kari Rinehart was reportedly killed at the scene. Her twin sister, Kati Rinehart, suffered a broken clavicle, and the second passenger, Reva Sams, suffered two broken legs. Both were treated at Wesley Medical Center for their injuries. All three women had been roommates at Wichita State University.

The driver of the car that hit Rinehart was also hospitalized with a broken leg after the collision. As is typical after a serious motor vehicle accident, blood was drawn to determine if he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A passenger in his car fled from the accident scene but was apprehended by police shortly thereafter. 

On Wednesday, a Wichita police official reportedly confirmed that there is evidence suggesting that alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. However, investigators are still waiting for laboratory results, and it may be a few weeks before a decision is made to charge the individual criminally for the incident.

Related Resources:

South Haven woman killed in Wichita collision (The Wichita Eagle)