Article last updated at 8:58 p.m. Sunday, May 15:
A 10-year-old girl who suffered critical injuries in a crash Saturday died Sunday morning, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement is still looking for the driver and van that they believe struck the motorcycle she was riding.
The girl, a student at Eudora Elementary School, was the passenger of a 54-year-old man. The two were northbound on a motorcycle on East 1900 Road around 5:15 p.m. Saturday.
According to preliminary information, they were approaching the overpass when an “unknown white delivery-style van” moved forward from the stop sign at the top of the eastbound ramp from K-10 and into the intersection, DGSO spokesperson George Diepenbrock said Saturday night. Then the van struck the motorcycle, which overturned, Diepenbrock said.
Witnesses reported that the driver of the van proceeded down the ramp, leaving its bumper behind, and returned to eastbound K-10, Diepenbrock said.
After processing the scene, crash investigators collected vehicle parts from the van, Diepenbrock said in an update Sunday morning.
“These parts, along with witness statements, indicate the van is a 2015-2019 white Ford Transit-250 van … The vehicle is missing a black front-end bumper cover and front splash guard, and it likely has sustained front-end damage to the vehicle itself,” Diepenbrock said.
However, Diepenbrock said in a Sunday afternoon update to media that “After further investigation today, Sheriff’s Office detectives now believe the vehicle that left the scene of the crash yesterday was a Ford Transit Connect XL Model 2013-2019, more likely a 2018-19. … It appears to be smaller than the one we shared this morning.”
The sheriff’s office asks for anyone who can help identify the driver and vehicle to call 785-843-0250. Reference the case number D22-09801.
The man suffered injuries that were serious but not believed to be life-threatening, Diepenbrock said Saturday. He and the girl were both taken to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The girl had been wearing a helmet, Diepenbrock said.
Eudora Public Schools Superintendent Stu Moeckel sent an email to district families Sunday.
“This weekend, a Eudora Elementary student was fatally injured in a traffic accident,” Moeckel wrote. “We have reached out to the family to offer our condolences. Please keep the student’s family, friends, and EES staff in your thoughts.”
Grief counseling services will be available for students and staff, Moeckel wrote.
“We want to make sure students and staff know this support is always available to them.”
Law enforcement had not released the girl’s name as of Sunday.
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Note: This article and headline have been updated to reflect corrected information from the sheriff’s office.
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