Month: March 2014

Four accidents reported Saturday on Wyandotte County highways

Four accidents were reported Saturday on highways in Wyandotte County.

The area experienced rain and light snow overnight.

A 2008 Ford Fusion hydroplaned at 11:47 p.m. Saturday while it was northbound on I-635 in Kansas City, Kan., according to a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper’s report.

The Fusion spun and struck a tree, injuring the driver, a 56-year-old woman from Platte City, Mo.

In a separate accident, a 2002 Honda Accord was eastbound on I-670 in Kansas City, Kan., at 11:13 p.m. March 15 when it struck a large puddle of water, according to a trooper’s report.

The driver lost control, striking the outside barrier wall. The driver, a 28-year-old man from Olathe, Kan., was injured and taken to a hospital.

Another vehicle, a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, was eastbound on I-670 at 11:13 p.m. March 15 when it struck a large puddle of water, lost control and struck the inside barrier wall in a separate accident, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper’s report.

The driver, a 19-year-old woman from Kansas City, Mo., was not injured.

A passenger in the car, an 18-year-old woman from Kansas City, Mo., had a possible injury, according to the report.

A fourth accident was reported on eastbound I-70, between the 78th Street and I-435 exits in Kansas City, Kan.

According to a Kansas Turnpike Authority trooper’s report, a 2012 Scion in the center lane had almost completed passing a semi in the left lane when the accident occurred at 10:45 p.m. March 15.

The semi moved into the center lane, striking the Scion and causing the car to spin around to the front of the semi, according to the trooper’s report.

The semi then struck the Scion on the driver’s side, causing it to hit the wall, the report stated. The Scion came to rest, blocking the right lane of the traffic.

The driver of the Scion, a 25-year-old Kansas City, Kan., man, was not injured, according to the report.

A 15-year-old female passenger and a 14-year-old female passenger in the Scion, both from Kansas City, Kan., were injured, the report stated.

The driver of the semi, a 49-year-old Burlingame, Kan., man, also was not injured.

Sporting KC draws 1-1 with FC Dallas

Aurelien Collin (File photo)

Sporting Kansas City settled for a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas in the team’s MLS home opener on Saturday at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.

Aurelien Collin scored in the 81st minute on a corner kick from Benny Feilhaber, however Matt Hedges headed home a free kick from Michel in the 90th minute to split the points.

Attendance was 19,431 and temperatures were at 70 degrees when the game started.

Playing the team’s third match during a stretch of five games in 15 days, Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes made five changes from the lineups that started the team’s season opener in Seattle and mid-week match in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Jimmy Medranda made his first MLS start and second career appearance, while rookie midfielder Alex Martinez replaced the Colombian in the second half for his MLS debut.

Sporting Kansas City created the game’s first chance in the fourth minute. Collin’s service over the top of the FC Dallas backline drew Chris Seitz off his line, but the goalkeeper was beaten to the ball by Sal Zizzo on the right flank. The fifth-year forward sent his chip over Seitz from a tight angle and found C.J. Sapong at the backpost but his shot was blocked away by Hedges.

Eight minutes later, Sal Zizzo did well to turn Jair Benitez inside the penalty area and direct his shot on frame from 15 yards out. Chris Seitz dove to his left to push away the attempt for his first of five saves on the night.

FC Dallas would not record its first shot of the game until the 33rd minute when Blas Perez couldn’t connect fully on a lunging shot at the edge of the six-yard box. The Panamanian would try twice more in the first half — registering the visitors only three shots of the half — including a header in the 39th minute and a left-footed drive from 20 yards out that sailed just wide on the final play of the half.

Sporting Kansas City controlled 70 percent of the possession in the final 45 minutes while searching for the breakthrough goal. Feilhaber tested Seitz with a half-volley but the FC Dallas backup, starting in place of the injured Raul Fernandez, was well-positioned to smother the shot.

FC Dallas inserted young designated players Andres Escobar and David Texeria in the second half and it was Escobar’s corner kick in the 79th minute that fell to fellow Colombian Fabian Castillo outside the penalty box. The 21-year-old did well to strike a first-time side volley but it carried narrowly over the crossbar.

With under 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Sporting Kansas City finally found the game’s opening goal from one of the club’s 12 corner kicks on Saturday. Seth Sinovic stuttered his way past Je-Vaughn Watson and forced a sprawling save by Seitz at the near post to earn the set piece.

Collin then found space between Andrew Jacobson and Hedges to direct his header inside the far post for his 14th career goal in MLS competition, tying him with Jose Burciaga Jr. for second most by a defender in team history behind Jimmy Conrad.

The lead would be short-lived as FC Dallas responded nine minutes later through a free kick, awarded by referee Abbey Okulaja when Texeira went to ground as Oriol Rosell closed in for a challenge.

Michel, who had entered less than three minutes earlier, curled the set piece toward the back post where it was met by Hedges with a powerful header from six yards out.

The goal came on FC Dallas’ only shot on goal of the game and marked the second straight year FC Dallas came from behind to equalize in the 90th minute against Sporting KC. Sporting Kansas City would have three chances to grab a late game-winning goal in stoppage time, none better than from the foot of Martinez after a quickly taken free kick by Sinovic.

The 2014 MLS SuperDraft pick snuck into the left side of the penalty area and placed his shot past Seitz only to see it cleared in the goalmouth by Hedges.

The draw saw Sporting Kansas City move to 11-2-6 all-time in MLS home openers with just one loss to open the team’s regular season home schedule in the last 15 years.

Up next for Sporting Kansas City is the decisive second leg in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals at Cruz Azul on Wednesday.

Sporting KC holds a 1-0 lead on aggregate heading to Estadio Azul in a match that will be nationally televised on FOX Sports 2 (English) and Galavision (Spanish).

Cold weather moves in Sunday

Cold weather has moved into the Wyandotte County area, with temperatures to reach a high of only 35 degrees today.

A light dusting of snow on lawns, less than a half-inch, greeted Wyandotte County residents this morning.

It followed rain and a thunderstorm on Saturday night.

At 11 a.m., a radar map showed storm clouds from Joplin to Marshall, Mo., southeast of the Kansas City area.

The rest of Sunday’s weather will be mostly cloudy and mostly sunny skies.

The weather on Monday, St. Patrick’s Day, will warm up a bit, to 55 degrees, the weather service said.  Sunny skies are predicted. Winds will be 5 to 14 mph, gusting to 20 mph.

Tuesday, temperatures may climb to 64 degrees with mostly sunny skies. Winds will be 13 to 17 mph, and will change from the south to the west in the afternoon, gusting up to 26 mph.

Wednesday will drop back to 54, while Thursday’s forecast is sunny and 64.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.gov.