The deadly flash flood occurred on Labor Day weekend and killed six people, five inside of vehicles swept away by the floodwaters and one person who was attempting to rescue those trapped.
From 7:00 to 8:00 pm, a slow-moving, low-topped storm with very heavy rainfall rates developed over central Kansas, remaining over eastern Chase and western Lyon counties for several hours.
At 8:30 pm, the culvert carrying Jacobs Creek reached capacity and the flowing water began to accumulate behind the elevated embankment of the Kansas Turnpike near milepost 116.
[4] In August, 2004, a memorial was constructed at the Matfield Green Rest Area on the Kansas Turnpike just southwest of Jacobs Creek.
At a ceremony unveiling the memorial, then-Governor Kathleen Sebelius recognized the actions of Larsen, as well as Ryan Lane, who helped with the rescue efforts and survived the flood.
[5] As of 2010, the event is used as a case study in a training module by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and is analyzed in detail by a paper published in the National Weather Association Digest (referenced in this article).