A rural Iola man was declared dead after the minivan he was driving struck several items before crashing in a parking lot along North State Street Friday afternoon.
Edward Bush, 66, was northbound on State Street when he apparently suffered a medical episode that caused him to lose control of his vehicle.
The minivan he was driving struck a sign on the right side of State Street, near the New Greenery, before crossing the road and striking several objects on the left, including a mailbox and electric pole at the Kansas Department of Transportation building before eventually coming to rest near Orscheln Farm & Home.
Evidence from the wreckage indicates Bush was incapacitated before the accident, Iola Police Chief Jared Warner said.
It did not appear that he attempted to brake, for example.
Ambulance personnel took Bush to Allen County Regional Hospital, where he was declared dead.
The broken light pole triggered a breaker at Iola’s Oak Street substation, cutting power to much of the town for more than 30 minutes, City Administrator Carl Slaugh said.
Power was rerouted to the affected areas before the pole was replaced Saturday by Iola city crews.
Warner said Bush was taken to a coroner in Kansas City, Kan., to determine the cause of the medical condition.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident. There were no other injuries.
Iola man declared dead in accident
