TOPEKA, Kan. — Authorities have identified the victim in a fatal early-morning crash Saturday off the Interstate 70 overpass in downtown Topeka.
The deceased has been confirmed as 33-year-old Tramayne N. Smith, a resident of Topeka, according to officials with the Topeka Police Department.
The incident occurred around 1:29 a.m. Saturday along the Polk-Quincy Viaduct — a stretch of highway that carries I-70 traffic through downtown. Emergency responders were dispatched to the area near 2nd Street and South Kansas Avenue after receiving reports that a vehicle had plunged off the elevated roadway.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Smith was driving in a section of I-70 that was closed to traffic due to ongoing construction. Authorities stated that no other vehicles were involved in the incident. Smith was the only occupant of the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The exact details of how the crash occurred — including the direction of travel and the specific point where the vehicle left the viaduct — remain under investigation. Officials had yet to release further updates by mid-morning Monday.
This marks a tragic reminder of the dangers of navigating closed or restricted construction zones. Investigators continue to review surveillance footage and gather evidence to determine the full circumstances surrounding the crash.