Deadly crash reported southeast of Dodge City, victim identified

DODGE CITY, Kan. (KSNW) — One man is dead following a crash near Dodge City Friday morning.

It happened at 11:32 a.m. on U.S. Highway 56 in the area of Lariat Way and involved two vehicles, a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe and a 2021 Kenworth Truck Tractor.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Aaron Contreras, 20, of Dodge City, was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe northbound on U.S. 56 while a semi was driving southbound on U.S. 56.

The KHP said Contreras, for an unknown reason, went left of center and was struck by the semi.

Contreras was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the semi was a 59-year-old male from Arizona. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for a “suspected minor injury.”

The Ford County Sheriff’s Office asked drivers to avoid the area as first responders investigated the crash. The highway has since been reopened.