Animal hospital workers rush to help crash victims in Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT) - 27 News is following up on a deadly motorcycle crash that occurred over the weekend.

The crash occurred on Saturday, July 27, at SW 10th Avenue and Fairlawn Road. The motorcycle riders that died in the crash have been identified by the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office as Noah T. Lawler, 19, and Ava R. Jordan, 20, both of Topeka. One car and one motorcycle were involved in the crash.

27 News has learned that staff at a nearby animal hospital were some of the first to help at the scene. One of the staff members from Stone House Animal Hospital said it was instinct that made her and her fellow staff members help out.

"It was instinct," said Dr. Terry Presnell from Stone House Animal Hospital. "It was just a reflex. The worst comes first. None of us, I don't think even thought about it until afterwards. I think we're all still trying to kind of wrap our minds around what happened."

Presnell said this tragedy has a wide spread impact.

"The family of those kids on the motorcycle... its just horrific," Presnell said. "People in the van, they were little bitty kids. So many families affected. All the people that were rendering aid, we were all affected. So it spreads out more than just that one intersection."

The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office is still investigating what caused the crash.

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