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Olathe teen, 17, killed as he tried to help crash victim on I-35: Kansas Highway Patrol

A teenager was killed when he tried to help a crash victim on Interstate 35 in Johnson County on Saturday morning.
A teenager was killed when he tried to help a crash victim on Interstate 35 in Johnson County on Saturday morning. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A teenager was killed when he tried to help a crash victim on Interstate 35 on Saturday morning, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol crash report.

Just before 2 a.m. Saturday, Benjamin D. Van Buskirk, 17, of Olathe was hit by a Jeep Liberty after Buskirk had gotten out of a car on I-35 south just north of Johnson Drive in Merriam.

A Chevrolet Equinox was stalled in the left lane of traffic, according to KHP. A Honda CR-V stopped on the right shoulder and Van Buskirk exited to help the driver of the Equinox.

A Jeep Liberty traveling south then hit the Equinox and drifted across the road, running into Van Buskirk, according to KHP.

Van Buskirk was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the Equinox suffered serious injuries, KHP reported.

Kendrick Calfee
The Kansas City Star
Kendrick Calfee covers breaking news for The Kansas City Star. He studied journalism and broadcasting at Northwest Missouri State University. Before joining The Star, he covered education, local government and sports at the Salina Journal.
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