At about 4:55 p.m.om Tuesday afternoon the Stanton County Sheriff’s office responded to and investigated a one vehicle accident that sent the 77 year old lone driver to the hospital with serious injuries. Judy West of Stanton was westbound on Hwy 24 just west of the Stanton city limits. When it is believed she tried to secure a partially open drivers door and during this time, she lost control of her van and it crossed over the east bound lane and entered the south ditch at highway speeds, during this time she fell out of the van through the drivers door into the ditch as the van continued through a grove of trees and a fence line before coming to rest in a farm field. West was initially unconscious and was then taken to FRHS by Stanton Rescue for treatment and then later transferred to UNMC in Omaha. Seatbelts do not appear to be in use in the freak accident and the van is considered a total loss.