Fatal Motorcycle Accident In Sumner County
Fatal Motorcycle Accident In Sumner County Save Email Print
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Police say a man was killed in an accident involving a deer while riding his motorcycle early Monday morning. The victim has been identified as 21-year-old Joshua Skibbe from Geuda Springs.

The accident happened just before 5:30 a.m.

According to police, Skibbe was traveling southbound on Oxford Road about 12 miles southwest of Winfield when he hit the deer and was thrown from the bike.

Skibbe was dead at the scene. He was not wearing a helmet and was said to be traveling at a high rate of speed, around 100 miles per hour.

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Posted by: Lynn Location: Wichita on Sep 27, 2008 at 08:36 AM
My family's thoughts and prayers are with the Skibbe's at this time. With as close a family as you are you will get through this. For those of you stating a helmet and a safer speed would have helped...put yourself in his shoes, 21, free, open road, fresh morning air and an area you know and grew up in...Better yet, put yourself in his mother's position please and bite your tongues. Rather than be thoughtless, be quiet.

Posted by: Curt Location: Wichita on Sep 26, 2008 at 06:18 PM
R.I.P Josh. Although I only know Josh from working with him at Cessna, prayers and thoughts go out to his family. To me he was a stand-up young man and was proud of his decision to enlist into the Air Force. From all of us in the NDI Pawnee dept. we wish him peace now.

Posted by: Stacy Location: Oxford on Sep 24, 2008 at 10:32 PM
I dated Josh for a while he was an amazing guy and it hurts to see him go this way. It's hard enough for all of his friends let alone his family. His mother loved him very much he was always over there giving her crap. He was always full of energy. He was always riding his bike and yea he never wore his helmet but all his friends and family would always tell him to put that thing on. He loved going fast and we also told him to stop that. He was an outside boy. He took me fishing for our first date :) There are alot of good memories he left us with but we all wish there were more to come. He knows we all loved him and will miss him! And I also agree if you don't know him, Don't say anything! R.I.P. Joshua Wayne Skibbe We all love you and miss you!!!

Posted by: bizz Location: geuda on Sep 24, 2008 at 07:46 PM
Ok. josh is practically my brother. i grew up with him, and i love him to death.! he was my best friend and always will be. so you people that keep saying well he wouldnt have died if he had a helmet o. STOP. because you dont know how much it hurts. you dont even know him so just stop.! and he was goin at a high rate of speed, yes it would have helped a little bit, but we will never know that now. so just please stop will all of your bullcrap.! thank you.! I love you bub.!! R.I.P Skibbe.!!

Posted by: Nicole on Sep 24, 2008 at 07:34 PM
he was an amazing young man, and yes he should've worn his helmet and shouldnt have been going so fast, but dont judge him. how dare you judge him. God took him because it was his time. it hurts like hell for those who cared about him. he loved life and i'm just thankful i got to know him and spend his last days with him.

Posted by: PJ on Sep 24, 2008 at 07:40 AM
This person was exercising his FREEDOM to either wear or not wear a helmet. Condemnation directed at him does no good. It only hurts his friends and family. May eternity be peaceful to Josh.

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 23, 2008 at 08:18 PM
HELMET could have saved your life and quit thinking that just cuz your on a bike you know how to ride it

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 23, 2008 at 04:33 PM
I am so sorry. He was a really great kid and will truly be missed by all.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wichita on Sep 23, 2008 at 04:33 PM
My thoughts go out to Josh's family and his friends. Josh was an amazing person. Words can't describe how much he will be missed. This accident goes to remind us all that life is to short, and that some of the best die young.

Posted by: Joe Location: Wichita on Sep 23, 2008 at 02:34 PM
I am a biker and understand that sometimes it's easy to pick up the pace when it's open road and no ones around for miles. However, living in Kansas we have to remember that the wildlife can pop out of nowhere. My thoughts and prayers are with this young man as well as his family and friends.

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 23, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Our thoughts and prayers are with the skibbe family during this tragic time.

Posted by: kaley Location: gueda springs on Sep 23, 2008 at 10:38 AM
i heard about it and im praying for his family. he left behind man friends and family he led a great life and he will be missed dearly.

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 23, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Wow! Really! A Helmet and a reasonable speed. Can you do me a huge favor Saddened in Oxford can I get the winning lottery numbers since you can see what could had happened I just thought you might see what is going to happen also. Come on really!!!

Posted by: anonymous Location: Oxford on Sep 23, 2008 at 08:49 AM
What a tragedy for this loving, fun family. Geuda/Osford road is indeed HORRIBLE. But I doubt it gets the repair is so desperatly needs any time soon. My prayers are with the family.

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 23, 2008 at 01:58 AM
wow! 100mph,you think a helmet would have hepled. i don't think so. media sure like to tell you when a rider does'nt wear a helmet,but a rider dies with a helmet on,and they wont mention that.with more bike on the road the more of these accidents will happen.

Posted by: Saddened Location: Oxford on Sep 22, 2008 at 07:28 PM
I heard about this story this morning. What a sad ordeal that could most likely been prevented with a helmet and a reasonable speed. The Geuda Springs Road is HORRIBLE and needs to be smoothed out. Even going 65 in an SUV isn't safe. I know that isn't the reason for this wreck, but it couldn't have helped. My prayers are with the Skibbe family during this difficult time.

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Showcased Comments
Boeing Wichita Cutting 800 Positions
  • Posted By: carrollalan- ur right. dun is dun. i'm glad i'm on the west side of oliver-- best place to be right now. i'm still on 3 day weeks as a result of the strike. i'm really cramped right now, but i support the east siders 100%! i'm not clear on what current bail outs has to do with 800 being laid off or what McCain has to do with contracts that expire. now i will agree that there are boobs in management. it's that way EVERYWHERE! it's called- promote the incompetent. so they don't hose up everything on the floor. where the real work and productivity happens. a thousand managers have no job with out 10,000 to manage. i've been a manager. everyone loves to blame management for all their woes-- it's cheap and easy. not all decisions are bad even if we don't like them. not all are wise, and proven so in the long run. i've got to work. I will decide what MY approach to today will be. life sux. get over it. get on with it. it'll get better.
  • Posted By: AlanJack, I must have hit a nerve? Most managers at Boeing and Spirit are incompetent fools that could not lead a fish to swim in water. It is because of these manager/CEO morons, that these companies, banks or whatever, are in the mess they are in.
  • Posted By: Alan- Contrary to what some believe, the cut backs on the military programs at Boeing, have nothing to do with Spirit. Boeing is laying off because the contracts are FINISHED, COMPLETE, DONE. Has NOTHING to do with the strike. - And to Anonymous, if Boeing "commercial" cuts back, of course it will affect Spirit, what are you thinking, or are you? - When Boeing came out in the NEWS, and said they were thinking of dropping out of the bidding process, that pretty much summed it up for me. - Yes N, they are there comments, but they are based on nothing but ignorance, none of it is based on fact.
  • Posted By: jack1. I was against the first bailout of the financial companies. 2. I am against any other bailout plan. 3. Let the auto industry file bankruptcy to negate union contracts. 4. execs of failing companies should lose jobs or at least large part of salaries. 5. I believe current layoffs are due to economy in large part, but recent strikes have impact too. 6. Union members pay attention to item 3 above or you will be next. 7. Alan shut up! the reason people get promoted is becaues they show leadership skills & qualities you obviously do not have. You Alan are one of the sheeples who blindly follow the leader. You had better hope your leader (the union) are not lemmings.
  • Posted By: AnnoyedGee, this wouldn't have a thing to do with Sen. McCain wanting to open the bidding for our Military Tanker to a foreign country. Or the fact that once Boeing cried foul and got it stopped the current administration wants to wait and let the new administration handle it. Or that the CEO's and other upper crust at Boeing want their bonuses and perks. Either the brain surgeons on this site can't understand the news or read the paper.
  • Posted By: Response to AnonIf you look at Japan, you will see that when companies start doing poorly, the executives take a decrease in pay because they are considered the responsible party. That's not the case in the USA. They start cutting the little guys here, then reward themselves for increasing profitablity with nice fat raises. I'm not a fan of unions, but I do realize they are NOT what is bringing down our industry. It is crappy management and shoddy accounting practices.
  • Posted By: Just an ObservationYou guys are all correct!! It's those evil UNION guys making less than 100k a year sucking all the money out of the companies. It couldn't be all the CEO's, managers, supervisors and supervisors over supervisors bonuses, could it? Profits aren't going to be what they have been, so the only way these clowns are going to get the hefty bonuses they are used to is by cutting overhead. We all know the big dogs aren't going to get rid of themselves, so they boot the workers. They get a HUGE bonus and the remaining workers get MANDATORY OVERTIME. All the while the public p*** and moan about those evil unions.
  • Posted By: So, Alan the Spirit worker: does this affect the commercial side "Boeing Co. has seen its orders peak and the number of commercial planes in its backlog will probably decline going forward." I
  • Posted By: CuriousAlan, When did Airbus officially get the bid? I thought Boeing lodged a complaint and it was still up in the air... Just curious.
  • Posted By: Look at the quote in the story: "taking steps to restructure our business in order to lower our rates and become more affordable for customers." This IS about the bottom line. The price a customer pays for a product includes labor costs. Strikes cost millions. Unless the government bails out the auto industry, (a short term fix at best) labor unions there will be gone. One of the foreign companies will buy buildings and equipment for pennies on the dollar, capturing capacity and market share. They can take all the time they need, hire anyone they want, and in the meantime car prices go up, incentives go down, and spare parts are hard to come by. They have the operating capital to do it. Why? Because their current workforce strives for continuous improvement and cost reduction, instead of whining about their pay rate and haggling over details when they are already fairly compensated. Unless drastic changes are made, aircraft will soon be circling the drain as well. Wake up people!
  • Posted By: DeannaIt's a good thing they striked. They would have still had the layoffs so at least you stuck up for yourselves and got a more resonable contract.
  • Posted By: nBoy, Alan seems to be the smart one out of the bunch. Using words like morons, stupidity, and idiots. Hey Alan why don't you post your comment and leave the insults out. Their not stupid or idiots or morons; it's their comments.
  • Posted By: nI said when you were striking that you might win in the negotiations but that you'd lose in the long run and ah...I was so right, the layoff is the payoff for your greediness, I certainly hope that those being laid off are the ones that were on the picket line in the first place and not the ones that chose to work and not be greedy and wanting more. God sure works in mysterious ways to those not content with what they have.....Guess who is getting the last word...GOD!!!!
  • Posted By: ElaineOf course, this is not good news but at least you get to work thru the holidays and you get a 60 day notice instead of just a few days.
  • Posted By: JD"Alan", i dont know whether to say your comments are stupid or ignorant. If you think the layoffs have nothing to do with the strike, then you are just naive. Boeing and Spirit can make you beleive whatever they want to. But look at the facts, how can it not have to do with the strike.Think about it, you guys struck for more pay and they said ok. And now they are laying off obvisously because there is not enough money to keep the workforce where it is at now. Hmm to me that sounds like because you greedy employees wanted more and now they cant afford it. Just my opinion! So how about you look at the obvious instead of looking at things through you Boeing blinders. Way to go strikers now you can explain to your families why things are tight just like the other hard workers who got laid off because of your laziness. Best wishes to those families who had nothing to do with the strike and for the ones who did....well KARMA is a wonderful thing.
  • Posted By: Johnny BSee what that strike got you . Next time maybe you wont be so greedy . There is no such thing as job security anymore !!!!
  • Posted By: PJI do work for Spirit in Wichita. I also used to work for Boeing. As soon as the strike ended I told my wife "Here come the layoffs". It has happened every time there has been a strike at Boeing. Spirit immune to the layoffs plauging the industry? Dont bet on it. Everyday there are more and more people losing their jobs. That translates into less money for people to take that vacation to grandmas for Christmas, that weekend trip to Vegas, that....you get the picture. Less people flying hurts everyone. Right now Spirit is over built because of the strike. How much longer will management keep people on 3 days, when it is cheaper to lay us off so as not to pay for our benefits. If you're not a little anxious over this, then you must be living in a different world then the rest of us. This country hasn't seen anything yet, if congress doesn't help out the automakers. 2,000,000 unemployed is a lot of people. I'd rather see congress bail out the A/I then the Banking and Security industries.
  • Posted By: dcToo bad to to read some comments in this section. Well, we have to admit and accept the truth that in business we can't guarantee it stays strong. Sometimes it happened like this that business turn down and many of the people getting their bread & butter from it, so it is so sad and depressing, right?..but let us think of wonderful thing and start seeking another job, i think there are still jobs around there that awaits you - don't lose the hope you know and be strong enough to face crisis like this and im sure you grow as well because this is life!
  • Posted By: AlanHey K, get a clue, because you do not have one! The military cut back at Boeing is NOT affecting Spirit. I suggest you get your facts straight before aimlessly flapping your gums.
  • Posted By: AnonThe United Auto Workers union has bankrupted the automobile industry, and has the companies so burdened with labor costs that they cannot possibly compete with Toyota, Volvo, Nissan, etc. The aircraft industry and the IAM would be smart to apply that lesson to the aviation industry.
  • Posted By: JohnIt still proves that the amount of morons that Wichita has. The layoffs have nothing to do with the strike. But every moron that thinks it does will have something stupid to say about it
  • Posted By: KHey alan, you genius my husband works there and was told this, i am very well aware boeing is the military area in wichita but apparently that does not matter. So before you spout your crap, don't forget others are in the front line of the layoffs and may actually know what they are talking about. Talk about being uneducated and calling the kettle black!
  • Posted By: AlanIf some of you idiots making these stupid comments, actually find your way onto the payroll of an aircraft company, and they, the company, find out that you really are extremely stupid, that can't understand or do your job, you will probably be made a manager. Boeing has used this technique forever, and Spirit is continuing the trend. You go boy, you go girl!!
  • Posted By: janetGood going union. Protect your company rights and now because of your greed your people have no...Job. When will you learn that when you get greedy you lose. For all of you who said you were on strike to protect your family, you sure did. Hope you don't lose your home and car and everything you have because now you have NO JOB. You deserve it.
  • Posted By: AlanThe stupidity and ignorance runs deep on this comment section of KAKE. The layoffs have nothing to do with the recent strike. It has everything to do with a few military contracts concluding. The plan was to move the employees that were working on these contracts over to the new tanker program for the United States Air Force. But since our wonderful politicians decided to spend our hard earned tax dollars to pay Airbus to build the aircraft instead, these high skilled mod mechanics are now being laid off. You morons that make these totally uninformed comments amaze me, as you probably do others that read this section also. I can't decide if the fact that you are so severely uneducated, that you can not obtain a decent job other than flipping burgers at McDonalds or you are just plan stupid, and feel the need to lash out at persons that are considered skilled labor. And to the genius that thinks a military cutback will affect Spirit, why would it? They are military, we here at Spirit, are in the most part, commercial. Can some of you not read at all? Educate yourselves prior to making a fool of yourself, like making these half witted comments. If you are that stupid, at least try and learn to appear that you know what you are talking about, so far, most on here are failing, miserably.
  • Posted By: KennyI just told my wife after the strike, I said "Just wait, now that they are going back to work, boeing will layoff!" I love being right.
  • Posted By: JoyBet your glad you striked now huh?
  • Posted By: qI only read that they are laying off in wichita. Will they be laying off in Seattle or any other place?
  • Posted By: KWas told out of rumor that if Boeing lays off then Spirit will lay off too, just lovely for those that are still on 3 day work weeks out there, only to possibly get laid off after the 1st of the year.
  • Posted By: johnWichita is soon to be the new Detroit in Kansas. The IAM does not know about people....only about greed. I would bet the laid off workers at Beechcraft, Cessna, and Boeing would take a wage cut over layoffs and losing their jobs any day...but thanks IAM...that is not an option. If the companies go bankrupt there will be no jobs for anyone. All of the older employees (IAM members) do not care...seniority makes their jobs safe...or so they think...WAKE UP YOU ARE NEXT! History will show unions to be the demise of american industry. And to think the engineers at Boeing want a 20% pay increase in their new contract? Whatever! Pay attention to Detroit...Wichita is next and the IAM is the issue along with greedy people!
  • Posted By: HaHaHa to bad,good thing ya strike...........
  • Posted By: It appears the strike for job security.. didn't work out that well.
  • Posted By: WAY TO GO IAM!!! Let the Union revel in their victory. Wait victory implies a win - this doesn't look like a win to me....lol...lol...lol...;-)
  • Posted By: Anyone want to take a back the strike that the Union just had. Part of the reason why 800 jobs are going to be gone.

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