OLATHE, Kan. — A 43-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man was killed Monday morning after his car left Interstate 35 in Olathe, struck a bridge pillar and caught fire.
The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the driver as Adam Christopher Townsend.
According to the Highway Patrol, Townsend was driving a 2019 Dodge Challenger northbound on I-35 just north of 159th Street shortly after 9:40 a.m. when the vehicle left the roadway to the right for an unknown reason.
The Challenger struck a Kansas Department of Transportation signpost before hitting a pillar supporting the Lone Elm Road bridge. The vehicle caught fire following the collision.
Townsend was pronounced dead at the scene. The Highway Patrol said he was wearing a seat belt.
No other vehicles were involved.
The crash and resulting fire forced authorities to close northbound I-35 as firefighters worked at the scene and troopers investigated. Traffic backed up through the area, with drivers diverted from the interstate while the closure remained in place.
One northbound lane reopened around 11:15 a.m., and all lanes were back open around noon.
Initial reports from the scene indicated the crash involved severe injuries. The Highway Patrol later confirmed that Townsend died at the scene.
Photos from the crash showed the vehicle engulfed in flames beneath the Lone Elm Road overpass as emergency crews responded.
The Highway Patrol has not said why Townsend’s vehicle left the interstate. The crash remains under investigation.
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