Two people died when a vehicle crossed the center line on K-156 west of Larned early Thursday morning and struck another vehicle head on.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 28-year-old Sarah Jean Kemp of Nekoma was eastbound on K-156, four and a half miles west of Larned, near Fort Larned National Historic Site, at around 6:30 this morning, when the 2003 Chevy Suburban she was driving drove onto the south shoulder to the right, partly into the ditch. Kemp drove out of the ditch and back onto the roadway, but lost control and crossed into the westbound lane of traffic. A westbound 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 60-year-old Melissa Denise Higginbottom of Larned struck Kemp’s vehicle on the passenger side in the westbound lane. Both vehicles came to rest in the westbound lane, partly on the north shoulder of the road.

Both Kemp and Higginbottom were pronounced dead at the scene. Neither vehicle had any other occupants at the time of the crash, and both drivers were wearing seat belts.