Wichita police have confirmed that a 19-year-old man, Alejandro M. Tran, has died following a vehicle accident that left his car submerged in the Little Arkansas River on Monday.
Police were called to the area of 21st Street and Burns Avenue, between Arkansas and Amidon, around 4:00 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found Tran’s vehicle flipped upside down in the river. Firefighters from the Wichita Fire Department pulled Tran from the vehicle and transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:02 p.m. Authorities confirmed that Tran was the only person in the vehicle.
According to the investigation, Tran was driving westbound on 21st Street when his vehicle crossed multiple lanes of traffic, struck a tree line, and flipped into the river. Witnesses told police they believed the driver may have been speeding at the time of the crash.
Due to the vehicle’s position in the river, a special tow truck was called to recover it. Officials noted that the tow truck took a different route from where the vehicle entered the water to safely remove it from the river.
21st Street was closed for several hours between Arkansas and Amidon while authorities conducted their investigation into the crash.
The Wichita Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident.
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