Traffic fatality

By TYLER GASKILL
Winfield Daily Courier

A Winfield man was killed and two other men were injured early Saturday morning when the vehicle they were in left the roadway and flipped northeast of Arkansas City, according to Cowley County Undersheriff Bill Mueller.
Around 3 a.m. Saturday, a Dodge van driven by Curtis L. Rowe, 49, Winfield, was traveling northbound on 85th Road, 1 and 1/10 south of 242nd, when the van left the roadway.
"The van made a slight curve to start up a hill and went off the west side of the road, striking a rock, causing (the van) to flip," Mueller said.
Rowe was partially ejected during the accident, according to Mueller, and he became trapped under the van.
"The vehicle came down on (Rowe)," Mueller said, "and he was pronounced dead on the scene."
Two passengers in the van, Ricky Lee Robinson, 25, Winfield, and Timothy L. Patton, 21, Derby, were injured in the accident. They were both transport to South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, Mueller said.
"Alcohol and excessive speed were probably factors in the accident," Mueller said, "but we won't know for sure on the alcohol until we see the results of a toxicology examination."
The accident scene was investigated by the Cowley County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Arkansas City Fire Department.