Witness shares video following deadly crash on I-35 that took out interstate sign

MERRIAM, Kan. -- A Gardner, Kansas man is dead following a crash that took out an interstate sign and closed southbound I-35 for hours in Johnson County. It happened during the pouring rain and storms Thursday night, which investigators say played a role. The one-vehicle crash and downed interstate sign backed up traffic and caused problems for several drivers, including a semi. One man got a front row seat to the chaos. “It was the semi, then one car and then me,” Rob Gentry said. “So, I was right front and center.” Gentry shared photos of the aftermath. You can see the sign down on one side. The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) said the driver of a Toyota 4Runner was heading south on I-35 just before 9:45p.m. Thursday. The driver, 44-year-old Travis Lee Sawyer, lost control and hydroplaned due to high speeds and weather. KHP said Sawyer hit the interstate sign concrete post. He was not wearing a safety restraint and died in the crash, according to KHP's crash report. KHP said nobody else was hurt. “Hearts go out to the families,” Gentry said. “I'd never seen that before,” witness Devontae Jones said. He shared video of cars driving under the sign to get through. “At least like 5-6,” Jones said. “They were all going slow.” That's when Gentry said he saw a semi cross several lanes and tried to fit under the sign. “When it was his turn to go, he or she, I don't know who was driving, hit the sign and it fell and completely blocked the entire interstate,” Gentry said. Crews have since moved the structure off the highway. Working for you, FOX4 asked the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) about repairs. A spokesperson sent a statement saying, “KDOT is currently assessing the damage to the overhead sign infrastructure and roadway on I-35 near Antioch Road. At this time, a timeline for repair or replacement of the sign is not yet available.” Gentry said there's also room for improvement when it comes to highway safety during storms. “When it rains, you can't see the stripes on the road, there's water pooling everywhere, the drainage is terrible,” Gentry said. “Things need to be done from a safety aspect.” Southbound I-35 remained closed for several hours after that deadly crash. Merriam police said they assisted KHP in safely clearing stranded vehicles from the highway.