By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Both the driver and a passenger in a van that hit a semi head-on a mile west of the US-50/77 roundabout at 7:36 p.m. Wednesday were killed while the driver of the semi escaped with minor injuries.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Cecil Gill Jr., 84, Hazel Crest, Illinois, was driving a 2005 Dodge Caravan westbound on US-50 but on the eastbound shoulder and lane of the roadway.

According to the semi driver, Kevin Thompson, 57, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Gill had entered the left lane to pass a grain truck and then drove partway into the opposite ditch in an apparent effort to avoid a collision with Thompson’s eastbound 2010 Kenworth semi.

Gill was taken by ambulance to Via Christi - St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, where he died.

Dwayne J. Scott, 20, St. Louis, a passenger in the Dodge, died at the scene and was taken to Yazel-Megli-Zeiner Funeral Home.

The report notes Gill was wearing a seat belt but it is unknown whether Scott was.

Thompson was taken to St. Luke Hospital for suspected minor injuries.

Lt. Eric Rust, the trooper who investigated the accident, said Thompson was not at fault.

Rust said ¼ of each vehicle crashed head-on because the semi and the mini-van were off center.

“He did nothing wrong,” Rust said.

The accident remains under investigation by the patrol’s critical highway accident reconstruction team because he was not able to question Gill or Scott, Rust said.