Donald J. Christeson, Teresa J. Mansfield Obituary, Death – Two individuals lost their lives in a collision involving their car and a semitrailer early Wednesday morning in Wilson County, southeast Kansas. The incident occurred around 6:35 a.m. on US-400 highway, approximately one mile southeast of Fredonia.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the accident happened when a 2000 Freightliner semitrailer, traveling southbound on Jewell Road, turned left onto eastbound US-400 without yielding to a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis moving west on US-400. The Mercury then collided with the trailer’s axle.
Both occupants of the Mercury were pronounced dead at the scene. The Kansas Highway Patrol identified them as 76-year-old Donald J. Christeson from Liberty, Kansas, who was driving the car, and 61-year-old Teresa J. Mansfield from Independence, Kansas, who was a passenger. The patrol noted that both were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
The driver of the semitrailer, 74-year-old Carl J. Studebaker from Fredonia, was reported to be uninjured and was also wearing his seat belt.