8 May 2023
WELLINGTON, Kan. (KSNW) — A Wellington man has died after driving into a creek.
Police Chief Tracy Heath says the accident is believed to have happened sometime between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. Sunday. 42-year-old Ralph Lee Pingry was driving westbound on Lynn Burris Drive west of Wood Park south of the railroad trestle.
Heath says Pingry lost control after failing to negotiate a curve and his car went into Slate Creek. The 2014 black Ford Mustang was found upside down in the water.
It is unclear how long he had been underwater in the creek. A passerby spotted the vehicle in the water and called 911.
Emergency crews who responded to the scene immediately entered the water and pull Pingry out. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
It’s unknown how long Pingry may have been in the water. Police believe speed was a factor in the crash. The accident is still under investigation.