Two Minnesotans were killed in a head-on collision Thursday night in Carlton County, about 20 miles outside Duluth.

The Carlton County Sheriff's Office and Cloquet Police Department responded to the scene on Hwy. 33 at North Road just past 11 p.m., according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Killed were Fay A. Dahlman, 33, of Alborn, and Mark J. Laine, 49, of Saginaw. Dahlman was southbound on Hwy. 33 in a Hyundai Santa Fe when Laine, northbound in a Ford pickup, crossed the center line. The vehicles hit head-on in the southbound lane.

Dahlman, a nurse, died at the scene, while Laine died at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet.

Laine was a 27-year veteran of the Cloquet Police Department. Police Chief Steve Stracek released a statement Friday:

"On behalf of the Cloquet Police Department, I want to thank all of you for reaching out to our agency to express your condolences for the loss of Officer Mark Laine. We appreciate your understanding and patience while we grieve and remember Mark for his contributions to our community during his 27 years of service.

"We also want to take this opportunity to express our sincere sympathy to the family of Fay Dahlman, who has been tragically affected by this most sad event. We will continue to pray for comfort, grace and strength as we go forward into the days ahead."

LIZ SAWYER