Woman survives 70-foot jump from K-18 bridge during multi-vehicle crash
First responders complete complex high-angle rescue after pedestrian leaps to avoid swerving vehicle
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Sign up freeA woman is in critical condition after jumping 70 feet off a Highway K-18 bridge Friday night to avoid being struck during a four-vehicle crash near Ogden. First responders used high-angle equipment to pull her from the area below the overpass before transporting her to a Topeka hospital for advanced care.
The incident began around 8:44 p.m. near the East Riley Avenue offramp. The woman, who had been standing on the highway's shoulder, leaped from the bridge when a vehicle swerved to avoid debris and crashing cars in the roadway. No other injuries were reported in the collision.
Riley County Emergency Medical Services and Riley County Fire District 1 initiated the search and provided initial medical aid, while the Manhattan Fire Department executed the technical rescue. The patient was first taken to Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan before being transferred to Topeka.
Emergency responders closed K-18 for roughly three hours, reopening the highway around 11:35 p.m. A nearby Union Pacific Railroad line was also shut down for 40 minutes while crews searched for the woman.
"This was a complex and rapidly developing scene," said Cpl. Jonathan Shepard of the Riley County Police Department. "The coordinated effort allowed responders to safely manage the crash scene and complete the rescue."
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