Richard Douglas Smith, 48, was the Lawrence man killed in a head-on crash Wednesday night, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Smith was driving a Chevrolet Malibu on 31st Street between Louisiana Street and Haskell Avenue in Lawrence. The DGSO’s preliminary investigation showed that his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a Dodge Ram head-on, according to George Diepenbrock, a spokesperson for the agency.
“Deputies are still investigating all the circumstances and will complete a crash report,” Diepenbrock said Friday afternoon.
Three 18-year-old men (previously reported by DGSO as age 19) in the pickup were injured. One was flown to a hospital with serious injuries, and the other two were taken by ambulances to area hospitals.
“Upon arrival, a Dodge Ram pickup truck was fully engulfed in flames, and all three occupants of the Dodge had been removed prior to it igniting,” Diepenbrock said Thursday morning.
Diepenbrock said he did not have any updates on the three men as of Friday afternoon.
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