Mar 26, 2024

Woman dead, 3 hospitalized after head-on Kansas crash

Posted Mar 26, 2024 9:30 AM

EDITOR'S NOTE: The story was updated to show Loretta Panther was wearing a seat belt. The KHP reported she was not wearing a seat belt.

MORTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Monday in Morton County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford F150 driven by  Amandra K. Vanzant, 35, Elkart, was eastbound on U.S. 56. The pickup  struck a patch of ice, traveled left of center and struck 2018 GMC Terrain driven by Emily M. Panther,  32, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, head-on.

A passenger in the SUV identified as Loretta M. Panther, 64, Iowa City, Iowa, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Robson Funeral Home. EMS transported Vanzant, Emily Panther and  Leppert to the Morton County Hospital in Elkhart.  Loretta Panther was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP report. 

According to the family, Loretta Panther was wearing a seatbelt, her daughter Emily Panther removed it to perform CPR.