A crash Saturday afternoon killed two drivers and injured a minor passenger along State Route 146.

The head-on collision near Dillon Lake remains under investigation.

According to Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Kristi Mistovich, at 3:39 p.m. on Saturday, December 30, 2023, first responders were notified of a crash along SR-146 near Marshall Hill Drive.

The investigation determined that a Ford Explorer, driven by 35-year-old Zanesville resident Kyle Johnson, was traveling westbound when it went left of center and struck a Kia.

That Kia was driven by 52-year-old Nashport resident Kevin Hutcheson, who was traveling eastbound. The resulting head-on collision caused the Kia to then travel off the right side of the roadway before coming to a final rest.

Both drivers died as a result of the crash at the scene. A juvenile passenger inside the Ford Explorer, who is unnamed, sustained minor injuries.

Troopers were assisted on the scene by Genesis EMS, Falls Township EMS, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Muskingum County Coroner.

Lt. Mistovich said in her release that the Ohio State Highway Patrol reminds motorists to buckle up.

It was not said if troopers suspected that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash or if it was the case of a distracted driver. Likewise, it was not reported if either driver or passenger had been wearing a seatbelt.

No other passengers were reported to have been in either vehicle. The crash remains under investigation.