BARTON COUNTY, KS — Two teenage boys from Claflin were seriously injured Sunday evening in a single-vehicle crash along K-4 Highway in Barton County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred around 6:47 p.m. on the westbound side of the highway, approximately seven miles east of Hoisington.
Officials say a 1994 Ford F-150 pickup truck was traveling west when, for reasons still under investigation, it crossed the center line and entered the eastbound lanes. The vehicle then veered off into the south ditch, continued traveling in a southwest direction, vaulted over an embankment, and struck a railroad bridge before finally coming to rest on its wheels.
The driver, identified as 16-year-old Benjamin Ryan Pflughoeft, and his 13-year-old passenger, Brody Carl Pflughoeft, were both transported to Clara Barton Medical Center in Hoisington with serious injuries. Both teens were reported to have been wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway, and the incident remains under active investigation.
No other vehicles were involved. Further updates will be provided as more details become available.