43-year-old Mandy Buckwalter was killed in a traffic wreck in the northeast part of Wichita early Monday afternoon, to the west of 29th Street North & Webb Road.
Buckwalter was an employee of Heartspring near the crash location. She was killed when a stolen van driven by a female suspect was trying to flee law enforcement.
The Kansas Highway Patrol says the 24-year-old female suspect was driving the wrong way, going west-bound in the east-bound lanes of 29th Street, the same east-bound lane in which Buckwalter was driving her Chevy Cobalt. Both vehicles tried to avoid a collision, and in doing so, collided head-on.
Buckwalter was wearing a seat belt, and she was killed in the crash; the suspect was not wearing a seat belt, and she survived.
Police plan to book the woman into the Sedgwick County Jail when she's out of the hospital.
On Monday morning, police officers located a stolen vehicle at the River Walk Apartments in the 2700 block of S. Emporia. Police officers followed in an unmarked vehicle, and it appeared the suspects were not aware they were being followed. WPD requested air support from the Kansas Highway Patrol. At around noon, the suspect vehicle stopped at the Walmart at 29th & Rock Road.
"In an attempt to keep the stolen vehicle from leaving Walmart, officers deployed spike strips that deflated two tires," said Police Capt. Aaron Moses. "The suspect vehicle was able to flee the Walmart, and a police vehicle was struck in the process. Officers did not pursue the vehicle at that time."
Moses said KHP air support followed the vehicle from above. The vehicle went to a business on Webb Road near 35th Street North, where two people fled; one was later taken into custody. Capt. Moses said a female suspect stole another vehicle, a van, from the business and drove south on Webb Road, then west on 29th. KHP air support continued to follow, then the deadly crash occurred.