KU student killed in single-vehicle accident
3:34 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2008
Lawrence — University of Kansas student Neil Hockenbarger, 26, was killed in a single-vehicle accident early Thursday morning, at the intersection of Michigan Street and Sunchase Drive, north of the Kansas Turnpike in Lawrence, police said.
The gray Mazda he was driving left the street and struck a tree and a power pole at about 12:15 a.m., splitting the pole in two, police said. Hockenberger, the driver, died at the scene. His wife, Tiffany Hockenbarger, 25, Lawrence, was riding in the car and suffered minor cuts and bruises, Lawrence police said. She was checked and released at the scene after opting not to get medical attention.
Neil Hockenbarger
According to Sgt. Susan Hadl, the vehicle was believed to be driving northbound on Michigan Street when the driver missed a turn onto Sunchase Drive and over-corrected — causing the vehicle to hit the utility pole and ultimately come to rest up against a tree. Preliminary reports indicated the vehicle also may have caught fire, but the fire quickly subsided.
Hockenbarger was an active duty soldier and taking classes through a program with the KU Air Force ROTC unit. Gena Stuchbery, commander and adjunct professor of the department, hasn’t returned calls for additional information.
An area resident reported a momentary power outage shortly after the time of the accident.
"The power went off for a few seconds, then quickly came back on," said Brian Spainhower, a neighbor who lives on the 100 block of Michigan Street. "After that, it sputtered for a bit, then everything went dark. I walked outside and all the lights were off throughout the entire neighborhood. I went to light a candle and that's when I heard the sirens."
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