At about 12:09 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 28, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office received a 911 report of a person lying in the roadway in the eastbound lane of Highway 24 just east of Excel Road, approximately two miles east of Manhattan. Sheriff's deputies and emergency services responded to the area and found that a 21-year-old male had just been struck by a vehicle. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Sheriff's Office has identified the victim as Konley L. Harding of Manhattan.
The Sheriff's Office continues to look for the vehicle and driver that struck the victim. A witness to the incident reports that a light colored medium sized sport utility vehicle was believed to have struck the victim. The witness reported the SUV type vehicle was eastbound on 24, and continued eastbound after striking the victim.
Investigators believe that because of the clothing worn by the victim, and that the victim was reported to be lying in the roadway before being struck, the driver of the vehicle would have known they struck an object, but may not necessarily have known that they had struck a person. The Sheriff's Office is asking for this person to come forward, or anyone with information on this incident to contact the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office at 785-457-3353, or their local law enforcement agency.