Today we're learning more about the family involved in yesterday's accident on I-70 near Valencia Road that resulted in three fatalities and sent two other family members to the hospital.
After talking to friends of the Geske family, there is an update on the status of the two surviving family members.
Both parents in the Geske family have been very influential in their churches and communities. Jeff Geske is a pastor at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Salina who just went on as pastor back on December 4. Jeff's wife Laura was previously a teacher at Topeka Lutheran School.
The accident happened around 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The family was traveling westbound in their Ford Windstar on I-70 about two and a half miles west of Topeka when a Dodge Challenger crossed the center median and crashed into their vehicle.
Laura Geske and two of the children, Joy, age 3, and Joshua, age 8, were pronounced dead. Jeff Geskey and the family's third child, Jacob, age 3, were transported to Stormont-Vail. Both Jeff and Jacob were released on Sunday.
In Salina, where Jeff has been serving as pastor, Chairman Craig Stephenson spoke about his recent visit with Jeff in the hospital.
"There was such an outpouring of of love for the Geskes as we were in Omaha and got the word. We travelled down got to the hospital and all I had to do at the desk was say, 'I'm from the Christ the King congregation. Our pastor is in the back,' and we were escorted right back there," Stephenson said.
Stephenson said the support for the family from the congregation, from officers and from all medical and emergency staff has been wonderful.
He said both Jeff and Jacob are doing better physically but that how this affects them mentally is yet to be seen. Stephenson also said the Geskes influence not only people in the congregation in Salina, but also those all over northeast Kansas from previous congregations.
Another member of Christ the King said that, even though the family had only been there since December, they were already just like family to the congregation.
Stephen Moore from Topeka was driving the other vehicle involved in the accident. A communications representative from Stormont-Vail said the status of Moore is not available.
