Police consider charges in Iowa crash that injured 32
DES MOINES, Iowa — Charges are pending following a crash along Interstate 80 that injured at least 32 people and left two in critical condition, Sgt. Nathan Ludwig, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, said Saturday.
The incident Friday afternoon involved at least five vehicles, according to a report released Saturday by the Iowa State Patrol.
The injuries occurred after a semi truck driven by Fedir Maftei, 59, of Portland, Ore., rear ended a car driven by Andrea Haglund, 29, of Boone in the westbound lane at around 4:15 p.m. near Williamsburg. The crash resulted in a chain reaction that involved three additional vehicles, including a tour bus that was carrying 26 passengers.
The driver of the other vehicles were Leroy Lowary, 30, of Muscatine and Keith Dickens, 50, of Indianapolis. The bus driver was Kirby Weber, 27, of Des Moines.
Approximately 12 people were transported to UI Hospitals and Clinics. Eight were taken to Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, and 12 to Marengo Memorial Hospital in Marengo. All patients from Mercy and the Marengo hospitals have been released, hospital spokesmen said Saturday.
UI Hospital staff told The Register Saturday that they would be unable to provide a status update for the people involved in the accident until Monday.
On Friday UI chief nurse Kenneth Rempher said that two people were in critical care, three were in intermediate care and two were in general acute care. Five people were still being evaluated, he said.
Ludwig on Saturday said none of the victims have died.
The 26 bus passengers were employees of the Ryan Companies, a national development company with offices in Iowa. Marc Gullickson, president of the Iowa office, said Saturday that 22 of his staffers have been released from hospitals and that he doesn't know the full extent of injuries of the remaining four.
"We don't have all of the facts as of now, so we are not in a position to comment in detail," Gullickson said.