Wife of State Lawmaker Killed by SUV in Store Parking Lot

The wife of a state representative from Wichita died after being struck and dragged by a vehicle in a supermarket parking lot.

Rachel Whitten, spokeswoman for House Speaker Ray Merrick, confirmed the victim of Thursday’s accident was 60-year-old Annette Hedke, wife of Republican Dennis Hedke, a three-term state representative from Wichita.

Police say she fell near her car in a Dillons parking lot as an SUV next to her pulled out and hit her. Hedke was dragged 15 feet and pinned beneath the SUV, whose driver did not see her because she had fallen.

Lt. James Espinoza says the driver and witnesses stopped and helped her.  He says it was too soon to determine what caused Hedke to fall.

Whitten says Dennis Hedke has returned to Wichita.