By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Lead Reporter - Salina Post
Early this morning, Friday, April 26, a 21-year-old Salina woman died in a single-vehicle crash on Belmont Avenue after striking a curb at high speeds. The vehicle's passenger continues treatment for critical wounds at Salina Regional Health Center.
Salina Police Department (SPD) Sgt. Chad McCary said a Salina resident reported the wreck around 12:36 a.m. near 2242 Mayfair Drive.
When officers arrived, they found a white 2012 Jaguar passenger vehicle with the driver's side of the car smashed into a tree.
"We've surmised from being at the scene that the vehicle was southbound on Belmont — obviously at a high speed," McCary said. "The vehicle tried to negotiate the curve, it couldn't, and struck the west curb and hit an Evergy power pole on the southwest corner of Mayfair and Belmont."
McCary said the impact severed the pole from its base in the ground, requiring Evergy to fix the power pole this morning.
The vehicle rotated and hit the tree after the Jaguar struck the power pole. Once emergency services arrived, they pronounced the 21-year-old driver dead at the scene and found the 22-year-old passenger with serious injuries.
"The front-seat passenger was extricated immediately after EMS got there and was transported to Salina Regional Health Center, where she remains," McCary said. "She's in critical condition."
McCary said he was unsure if the passenger was wearing a seatbelt, but emergency responders found the driver with a seatbelt in place.
SPD officers continue to investigate the crash.
Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.
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