Livestock trailer ‘cut in half’ in Kansas collision involving two loaded cattle haulers near rest area

The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) is investigating a serious crash involving two cattle haulers that occurred near a rest area in Garden City on Wednesday.

The crash occurred around 8:25 a.m. on January 18 in Finney County, Kansas.

KHP says that 27 year old Maritza Ruiz was driving a 2008 Kenworth hauling a loaded cattle trailer westbound on K-156 at milemarker 24.1.

A 2004 Kenworth driven by Aaron Ortega-Arzate, 23, was also hauling a loaded cattle trailer as he made a left turn out of the rest area to travel east on K-156 at the same location.

KHP said that Ortega-Arzate failed to yield at a stop sign and turned in front of the semi driven by Ruiz.

Ortega-Arzates’s truck struck the semi-trailer of Ruiz’s truck and “cut the trailer in half.”

KHP says that the truck driven by Ortega-Arzates sustained “significant” front-end damage and came to a stop in a ditch.

Ruiz’s truck became disabled on the highway.

Ruiz was hospitalized with serious injuries. Police say she was not wearing a seat belt.

Ortega-Arzates was not injured.

Police said that cattle required extrication from the trailer.