BOURBON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Wednesday in Bourbon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1988 Ford Ranger driven by Hunter Dean Kovacic, 15, Stark, was northbound on U.S. 69 five miles south of Fort Scott.

The pickup crossed the center line into the southbound lane of travel, sideswiped a northbound 2008 Ford F350 driven by Anthony Dean Alexander, 57 Parkville, and then struck a semi head-on.

Kovacic was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. The semi driver Billy Swimmer Rabbit, 40, Pryor, OK., was transported to the hospital in Fort Scott. Alexander was not injured. The KHP did not have details on Kovacic’s seat belt usage.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the primary election in Kansas (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

Rep. Kevin Yoder has won an easy victory in the Republican primary in Kansas and heads into a competitive race in his swing congressional district in the Kansas City area.

Yoder defeated two underfunded rivals Tuesday in the 3rd District. Lenexa information technology consultant Trevor Keegan ran as a moderate but raised little money. Joe Myers of Overland Park didn’t mount a campaign.

The four-term congressman’s big battle will be in November. Six Democrats sought to challenge him.

Yoder has been targeted since fall 2016, when Democrat Hillary Clinton narrowly carried the district over Donald Trump in the presidential race. Yoder won a closer-than-expected race against an unknown Democrat.

Trump tweeted his “full and total endorsement” of Yoder last month.

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9:30 p.m.

James Thompson has won the Democratic nomination for a congressional seat in Kansas that he first sought last year in a special election after now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined the Trump administration.

The Wichita Democrat advances to a November matchup with Republican Rep. Ron Estes.

Thompson, a Wichita civil rights attorney, held Estes to a single-digit victory in the nation’s first congressional special election last year after President Donald Trump took office. Thompson defeated Laura Lombard in the Democratic primary.

Democratic socialist rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez traveled to Wichita during the race to join Sen. Bernie Sanders at a campaign event for Thompson as Democrats look to flip a congressional seat once considered safely Republican.

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DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue investigating Friday’s fatal water rescue incident on the Kansas River in Lawrence.

On Saturday, officers arrested 26-year-old Scharron Renea Dingledine of Columbia, Missouri on one count of First Degree Murder and one count of Attempted First-Degree Murder, according to Captain Trent McKinley.

The charges stem from the death of Dingledine’s five-year-old daughter and critical injuries to her one-year old son, who remained hospitalized.

On Sunday, the 5-year-old’s father identified her as Amiyah Bradley.  Clinton Bradley also established a fund-raising page to assist with funeral expenses.

On Saturday morning, members of the Douglas County Search and Recovery Dive Team recovered the body of the 5-year-old. She was the third passenger in the vehicle that entered the river Friday, according to Officer Drew Fennely.

First responders rescued Dingledine and the 1-year-old shortly after Friday’s crash into the river. They were transported to a local hospital. Authorities have not reported an update on the child’s condition.

Dingledine is currently being held at the Douglas County Jail without bond, according to according to Captain Trent McKinley.

 

RENO COUNTY — A Kansas man made an initial court appearance Friday on nine charges associated with his inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

Three years ago Lynn Conrad Hase, 36, Buhler, became friends with a 15-year-old girl during the rehearsals for the Family Community Theatre’s production of Shrek the Musical at Hutchinson’s Memorial Hall, according to investigators.

During that period, the parents of the girl suspected something was going on. Her parents eventually discovered the truth and contacted the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.

Charges against Hase include aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy, five counts of indecent liberties and two counts of indecent solicitation. The crimes occurred from January to March in 2015, according to Reno County Sheriff Captain Steve Lutz.

Hase is free on a $50,000 bond. A no contact order is in place.

 

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Johnson County prosecutors say they will seek a death sentence for a 24-year-old man charged with raping and killing an Overland Park woman.

Korrey Rinke is charged with capital murder in the August 2016 killing of 46-year-old Julianna Pappas.

Rinke is accused of raping Pappas, beating her to death and leaving her body in a wooded area.

Rinke was arraigned on rape and capital murder charges Thursday afternoon in Johnson County District Court. His attorneys entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals has struck down as unconstitutional a 2013 change in the state’s workers’ compensation law.

A three-judge panel ruled Friday that the change approved by the Legislature in 2013 too severely limits an injured worker’s right to obtain a legal remedy for an injury.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office did not immediately say whether it plans to appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The case involved Howard Johnson III, who injured his back while working at U.S. Food Service in 2015.

His injury occurred after the change took effect on Jan. 1, 2015. The revised law used a version of an American Medical Association guide which greatly reduced the amount of settlements workers could be awarded.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say the deaths of two people appear to be related to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Emergency crews found two people dead early Thursday in south Wichita.

Officer Charley Davidson says police believe the two deaths were carbon monoxide related.

Neighbors reported smelling a strong gas odor at the time the bodies were found.

The people’s identities were not released.

RENO COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.

Three years ago Lynn Conrad Hase, 36, Buhler, became friends with a 15-year-old girl during the rehearsals for the Family Community Theatre’s production of Shrek the Musical at Hutchinson’s Memorial Hall, according to investigators.

The friendship went further leading to an inappropriate relationship, according to Reno County Sheriff Captain Steve Lutz.

The parents of the girl suspected something, discovered the truth and contacted the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.

On Friday, deputies arrested Hase on four charges including two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, sodomy and indecent solicitation.

He’s free on $50,000 bond.  He is expected to make a first court appearance later this week.