Two cyclists from Germany died Tuesday near Galena, Kansas, after being struck by a minivan on Route 66.
KOAM-TV posted this brief video from the scene:
The Joplin Globe reported the crash occurred about 11 a.m. on Kansas Route 66 just west of Galena. The Kansas Highway Patrol was investigating; the names of the victims hadn’t been released as of Tuesday evening.
According to a preliminary report from state troopers, the cyclists were going west in the right lane on Route 66 about 1 1/2 miles west of Galena when the westbound minivan hit them from behind.
Several residents who discussed the accident on the Joplin Cycling group on Facebook noted the area where the crash occurred was near the crest of a hill, indicating the possibility the minivan’s driver didn’t see the cyclists until he or she was nearly on top of them.
The road remained closed Tuesday afternoon as officers continued to investigate.
UPDATE 5/10/2018: The Joplin Globe published more information about the crash:
According to the KHP crash report, 23-year-old Alyssa Parker, of Shawnee, Kansas, was the driver of a 2013 Chrysler Town & Country that hit two cyclists from behind while all were traveling westbound in the right lane of Route 66 a little after 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The two men who were killed in the accident were both German citizens riding bicycles along the highway. Harry Jung, 74, of Steinfurth, Germany, just north of Frankfurt, and Heinz Gerd Buchel, 71, of nearby Bad Nauheim, died in the crash. The patrol report says both men’s next of kin have been notified through the German consulate.
Officers said they still didn’t know the circumstances that caused the crash.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the riders.
Oh, how positively horrific! This is awful. I’m so sorry for those bicyclists and their families.
Good men from my hometown in Germany, who wanted to realise a dream! My thoughts are with their familys! We are all so sad….
I am a member of ADFC association Bad Nauheim and one of them was the 2.Leader. It is so terrible to hear that bad news.Is there a Ciclylane near the Road? Greetings from Steinfurth