PLEVNA, Kan. — Around 12:35 a.m. Tuesday, Reno County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of U.S. Highway 50 and Andre Road, near Plevna, for the report of an injury accident involving a four-wheeler and a deer.
Deputies were directed to the 2700 block of south Andre Road and found a yellow four-wheeler on its side in the middle of the road with significant damage.
Several feet north of there, they found the driver, 49-year-old Darren M. Schaffter of Plevna. He was lying in the east ditch barely conscious.
Officials were alerted that Schaffter had not responded to any text messages since 8:30 p.m. His wife, Rhonda, says she arrived at home and noticed he was not inside. She then went looking for him. Rhonda finally located him about an hour later and called 911. It’s unknown how long he may have been lying in the ditch after the accident.
A deputy was able to locate a deer more than 130 feet north of where the four-wheeler came to rest.
Schaffter was transported by Reno County EMS to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita for treatment.