Unbuckled teen dies in one-car accident

A Parsons teen not wearing his seat belt was thrown from his vehicle and died Tuesday, one day after nearly 20 Pittsburg teens were ticketed for also failing to buckle up.

Calvin Albert Priest, 18, was driving north on Queens Road when he overcorrected and his Suburban overturned, ejecting him from the vehicle.

Priest was found dead about 60 feet from the Suburban, said Capt. Rick Wilson of the Kansas Highway Patrol. Wilson said Priest may have been thrown farther than 60 feet because of the car’s movement and motion during the accident.

Trooper Rick Wingate, who responded to the accident, was one of four troopers involved in informing high school students in Neosho, Montgomery and Crawford counties about the importance of seat belt usage earlier this month.

After being warned of upcoming enforcement, 18 Pittsburg minors were ticketed within one hour Monday for not buckling up. However, Wilson said the Highway Patrol’s goal is not to write tickets, but save lives and prevent situations like the accident Tuesday.

“We try to educate them on this, and sometimes it’s just kind of disheartening,” said Trooper John Keene. “That was a sad deal. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Wilson said it’s frustrating to see a teenager lose his life when death could have been prevented.

“Of all the things you could do to save your life, wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest,” he said.

Kimber Wenzelburger can be reached at t.kimber.wenzelburge@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 Ext. 135.