Thanksgiving Day crashes claim two lives on Kansas highways, state troopers say

Two Kansans were killed in separate crashes on Thanksgiving Day, state troopers said.

Kansas Highway Patrol crash reports show Jamie L. Franch, 54, of Riley, was killed in an early morning head-on crash with another vehicle. Steven L. Dougherty, 40, of Meade, was killed in an afternoon motorcycle crash.

Franch was southbound on U.S. 24 in Riley County at around 5:41 a.m. Thursday when her 2014 Mazda 5 crossed the center line, the highway patrol crash report states. Her vehicle then crashed head-on into a 2002 Chevy Malibu driven by an 18-year-old Nebraska woman.

Franch was pronounced dead at the scene. The 18-year-old woman was taken to KU Medical Center.

Dougherty was northbound on K-23 in Meade County at around 2:13 p.m. when his 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle drifted into the ditch off the right side of the road, the highway patrol crash report states. He was not able to regain control of the motorcycle, then jumped from the motorcycle and hit a road sign before falling into a culvert.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.