Visiting Fred

By Kevin Elliott
The Capital-Journal
Published Sunday, May 25, 2008

Andrea Adams was shaken Saturday after entering where few people have ventured.

Shrouded by a wooden privacy fence and hedges, the inner grounds of Westboro Baptist Church are normally obscured from public view. But the 27-year-old Topeka resident broke new barriers Saturday when her 1990 Buick Park Avenue smashed through the fence and into the backyard.

Adams' car had veered left off the 3700 block of S.W. 12th Street, a one-way road, around 10:30 a.m. after being struck on the passenger side by a 1997 Dodge, said police Capt. Jerry Stanley. The Buick jumped a curb, crossed the sidewalk, and crashed through a row of bushes and a privacy fence at 3701 S.W. 12th St.

Phelps said Adams may have mixed up the gas and brake pedals when she burst through the fence and drove across the lawn, over a children's playground and came to rest on a volleyball-tennis court.

"We could tell it was an accident," Phelps said. "At that point, we made sure people were OK."

Tire tracks show the Buick's path narrowly missing a wrought iron fence surrounding a flagpole flying an inverted American flag beneath an upsidedown Canadian flag. Several bushes were destroyed and roughly 20 feet of fence was replaced by orange plastic webbing.

Mending needed from Saturday's accident will be one of many fence repairs made at S.W. 12th and Orleans. The fence has been vandalized with bullet holes and graffiti in the past. Phelps said the latest fence was put up last year.

"All that is fixable," Phelps said. "I'm just glad she wasn't hurt."

Police said both cars were heading west on S.W. 12th when the driver of the Dodge, Kyle Krull, 48, of Stillwell, attempted to change lanes to the left from the right, causing the Buick to lose control, Stanley said. Krull wasn't familiar with the street and a driver's blind spot may have contributed to the accident, Stanley said. Krull was cited for an unsafe lane change.

No injuries were reported.

"It was amazing that she was able to get up immediately and get up out of there," Phelps said of Adams being able to exit the vehicle. "I felt bad for her."

Story with picture

Ha Ha....that is the only way I would ever visit Fred.
But yeah...OK...at least no-one was hurt!

sure thought you were talking about a different "fred"!

I was in Topeka a couple weeks ago doing a fundraiser for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the a**wipes decided to set up right across the street from us yelling hateful things. I was on the corner of 21st and Wanamaker (no jokes) and our group had the whole intersection, but we only had enough people for 3 sides. My oldest son was there helping and he couldn't believe their signs and everything. Makes me sick. Good thing is that they only stayed for about an hour and left.

doodlevw wrote:

I was in Topeka a couple weeks ago doing a fundraiser for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the a**wipes decided to set up right across the street from us yelling hateful things. I was on the corner of 21st and Wanamaker (no jokes) and our group had the whole intersection, but we only had enough people for 3 sides. My oldest son was there helping and he couldn't believe their signs and everything. Makes me sick. Good thing is that they only stayed for about an hour and left.

Was it on a Saturday morning? We live in th ehouses there behind Chuck E. Cheese. Saturday mornings seem to be their favorite time to show up. Good thing is that they only stay 15 - 30 minutes, then run back into their hole with the rest of the vermin.