Fatal crash brings down overhead sign on I-35 in Johnson County
One person is dead after a vehicle crashed into a concrete post supporting an overhead highway sign, causing the sign to collapse and close the southbound lanes of Interstate 35 late Thursday in Johnson County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred about 9:40 p.m. Thursday on southbound I-35 north of Antioch Road as a line of strong to severe storms raced across the Kansas City metro.
The vehicle was headed southbound on I-35 when the driver lost control and hydroplaned due to high speeds and the weather, the highway patrol said in a preliminary crash report.
The vehicle then crashed into the concrete post near the exit to Antioch, bringing down the sign.
Overland Park police said in a post on X late Thursday that southbound I-35 was closed while the fatal crash was being investigated. Traffic was being diverted to Interstate 635. Police urged drivers to avoid the area.
Crews removed the overhead sign truss and moved it off the road along the shoulder. Southbound I-35 has since reopened.
