Two women from SE Kansas die in collision on K-254

Two women from southeast Kansas were killed in a collision on K-254 Friday morning, authorities said.

Based on witness accounts, the women were in a westbound car – a Mercury – that was attempting to turn left onto Greenwich Road, Trooper Chad Crittenden of the Kansas Highway Patrol said. As they entered the crossover between east- and westbound lanes, the car didn’t yield to an eastbound semi, authorities said. The accident happened around 11 a.m.

A KHP online crash log identified the driver as Irene Smith, 83, and the passenger as Rose Maddox, 82. They were both residents of Iola, the log indicated. That’s about 100 miles east of where the crash occurred.

The driver was the only occupant of the semi, and he was examined by medical staff on the scene, Crittenden said.

The speed limit on that portion of K-254 is 70 mph and intersections are open, meaning there is no controlled access, like a stoplight, Crittenden said. There are yield signs in the crossover section between lanes.

“A lot of times, we misjudge how fast a vehicle at 70 mph is going,” he said. “We might think we have time but we don’t clear it.”

The Mercury and semi rested in the grass about 10 yards from the highway, in the southeast corner of the intersection, while authorities investigated the scene early Friday afternoon.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Two women from SE Kansas die in collision on K-254."