KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A motorcycle driver is fighting for their life after they fell 35 feet into a railyard below a Kansas City, Mo., highway that is under construction.

The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department says that just after 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, emergency crews were called to the area of northbound Highway 169 and Highway 9 with reports of a single-vehicle crash.

When first responders arrived, they said they found a blue Kawasaki motorcycle had been headed north on 169 Highway, however, the driver had been speeding too fast to maintain control around the curve just before the Highway 9 exit.

KCPD noted that the roadway in the area is under construction and has been reduced to a single lane, the right lane, while the left lane is closed with cones. The driver went straight through the curve and hit a concrete jersey barrier.

Emergency crews said that after the driver hit the barrier, the motorcycle’s momentum kept the pair going north, bouncing off the barrier before the driver was ejected and fell 35 feet below on railroad grounds, but not the tracks.

KCPD said a Union Pacific train had been passing through the area when the operator saw the driver fall. The train was able to stop while the conductor called 911. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries.

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FC Dallas embarks on a unique proposition over the coming days: being on the road against Sporting Kansas City twice at the same venue within four days. The two sides will play at Children’s Mercy Park in MLS regular-season play on Sunday night before a rematch in the U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Key Player: Daniel Salloi

Salloi has been dealing with injuries, but he’s always been a terror for FC Dallas to contain. Over the years, he’s accounted for eight goals and two assists against FC Dallas, including SKC’s first goal in 2023 in their 2-1 loss at Toyota Stadium.

Key Matchup: Erik Thommy vs Sam Junqua/Marco Farfan

The DP for Sporting has four goals and three assists on the season. He and Johnny Russell will likely rotate along the wings a bit, but either way, you can expect their attack to largely run through Thommy.

Availability Report:

Suspended: none
Out: Logan Ndenbe (knee)
Questionable: Robert Castellanos (ankle), Daniel Salloi (ankle), Remi Walter (knee)
On Loan: none
International duty: Felipe Hernández

Last year against SKC: The clubs split their season series last year with both teams winning their home games. FCD came from behind to beat SKC 2-1 in the first meeting at Toyota Stadium before SKC picked up a 2-1 win over FCD in the lone meeting at Children’s Mercy Park.

At home against FCD: After struggling at the SKC venue for several years, Dallas has finally found some positive results in the last few seasons there. Sporting has won just one of their last seven vs. FCD at Children’s Mercy Park.

Recent form: The struggles have been real for SKC in 2024, in their last ten games they’ve gone 2-8-0 (2-3-0 in their last five).

Potential Lineup:

Peter Vermes has stuck with his 4-3-3 formation for another season.

Melia, Pierre, Rosero, Voloder, Leibold; Rodriguez, Radoja, Thommy; Russell, Agada, Salloi

1. Stay aggressive: It will be hard not to overplay their hands in the first game before the important USOC game on Wednesday, but when we’ve seen FCD at their best this season, it has been due to a higher press and aggressive play from the attack. On Thursday night against Portland, the times when FC Dallas was most dangerous were their forced turnovers in the Timbers’ defensive end. SKC is leaky in the back and could give up easy attempts if FC Dallas puts on the pressure.

2. Keep feeding Musa in the box: I probably sound like a broken record at this point on this item, but it really is that simple. Musa has ten goals on the season, and lately a lot of that has to do with finding him in space, with the ball at his feet in the penalty area. The Croatian knows how to handle the rest from there.

3. Limit stupid mistakes in the back: Sporting is going to still press a bit, that has always been a trait of a Vermes’ team. Dallas will want to limit their errors in the back and avoid their slow build up play that we’ve seen them struggle through at times this season.

KDHE

TOPEKA – While ticks and mosquitoes are a natural part of our environment, it is important to know that some may transmit harmful diseases. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) tracks illnesses caused by ticks and mosquitoes, and as of May 29, 2024, has received over 200 laboratory reports of tickborne diseases. Additionally, KDHE has received several reports of tick bites and complaints of high numbers of ticks, which indicates that tick activity and density are increasing and are occurring earlier in the season this year.

Numerous tickborne diseases caused by bacteria are present in Kansas. These include Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses (SFGR), and Tularemia. Two rare tickborne viruses, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus, have also been identified in Kansas in both humans and ticks. All of these tickborne diseases are transmitted by the Lone Star tick, the most abundant tick in Kansas. Lone Star ticks can be found widely throughout at least the eastern two-thirds of the state in a variety of habitats and are aggressive human biters. This year alone, KDHE has investigated several tickborne disease cases with severe health outcomes, including hospitalizations due to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia, and a fatal case of Bourbon virus.

“Vector-borne diseases, both those that are transmitted by ticks and those transmitted by mosquitoes are extremely active this year,” Dr. Erin Petro, KDHE State Public Health Veterinarian, said. “I really encourage people to take the risk of vector-borne diseases seriously and take personal protective measures for themselves and their pets to reduce their chance of acquiring an illness from a tick or mosquito bite. We’re also seeing emerging tick-associated conditions, like Alpha-gal syndrome, which can have lifelong consequences for those affected, which is why bite prevention is so important.”

In addition to increased tickborne diseases being reported to KDHE, there have been increased case reports of West Nile Virus (WNV), which is a reportable disease. While WNV cases occur every year in Kansas, the concerning trend this year is how early it’s being seen. Cases of WNV typically start in late July to early August. However, KDHE has already had two cases of WNV reported.

These cases serve as an important reminder to take precautions as you enjoy the outdoors this summer. Ticks are commonly found at the edge of trails, on tall grasses and in wooded, shaded areas. Mosquitoes are often more common at dawn and dusk and can breed in small amounts of standing water.

To reduce the risk of contracting a vector-borne disease, take the following steps:

1. Use an EPA-registered insect repellent such as DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 on all exposed skin. If going camping or hiking, treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin.
2. When doing yardwork, hiking, camping or recreating in areas where ticks and mosquitoes may be found, wear long pants tucked into socks or boots, if possible. Additionally, light colored clothing can make it easier to spot ticks.
3. Take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors, such as emptying standing water, particularly in old tires, tarps and flowerpots. Empty bird baths at least once a week to disrupt the mosquito life cycle.
4. Ensure pets remain tick free by consulting with a veterinarian about tick prevention products.
5. After spending time outdoors, shower and check for ticks again (some can be hard to spot). The vital areas to check are in and around the hair and ears, under the arms, inside the belly button, around the waist, between the legs and the back of the knees.
6. If a tick has bitten you, don’t squeeze it. Remove it with tweezers by grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible, then pull outward. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. Don’t forget to check pets for ticks.
7. Pay attention to common signs and symptoms of vector-borne illness such as fever/chills, body aches and/or rash. If any of these symptoms are present within a few weeks of spending time outdoors in areas that may have ticks or mosquitoes, it’s important to talk with a doctor about being tested for vector-borne illnesses.

For more information, visit KDHE’s Tickborne Disease Data Stories to learn more about tickborne diseases, signs and symptoms specific to each disease, tick bite prevention and tick distribution. CDC also has additional information about vector-borne diseases on their website.