First responders responding to a multi-vehicle crash rescued a woman who jumped from a bridge to avoid being hit.

According to the Riley County Fire Department at approximately 8:44 p.m. on Friday first responders were dispatched to a multi-vehicle crash on Highway K-18 near the East Riley Avenue offramp at Ogden. Four vehicles were involved in the crash.

When responders arrived, people at the scene reported that a woman who had been standing on the shoulder jumped from the bridge to avoid being struck by another vehicle which was swerving to avoid debris and other vehicles in the roadway. She fell approximately 70 feet and sustained major injuries.

Riley County Emergency Medical Services and Riley County Fire District #1 searched for the patient and provided aid. The Manhattan Fire Department was called to assist and used high-angle rescue equipment to lift the woman from the area below the bridge.

The patient was transported to Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan and later taken to Topeka for additional treatment. She was reported to be in critical condition at the time of transport. No further details about her condition are available. No other injuries were reported.

Responding agencies included the Riley County Police Department, Riley County Fire District #1, Riley County Emergency Medical Services, Manhattan Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas Department of Transportation.

“Manhattan Fire Department is grateful for the coordinated response by all agencies involved,” said MFD Battalion Chief Keith Habbart. “The quick thinking, teamwork, and professionalism shown by responders helped ensure the patient could be rescued and transported for further care.”

“We appreciate all the coordination amongst the agencies and responders on scene,” said RCFD#1 Fire Chief Doug Russell. “We’ve built trust over many years of working side by side, and that trust matters when people need us to work together quickly and effectively like we did for this rescue.”

Corporal Jonathan Shepard of the Riley County Police Department added, “This was a complex and rapidly developing scene. The coordinated effort allowed responders to safely manage the crash scene and complete the rescue.”

K-18 reopened at approximately 11:35 PM. The nearby Union Pacific Railroad line was also closed briefly, from approximately 9:20 PM to 10:00 PM while crews searched for the patient.