Two people died and three others were injured during a collision that involved three-vehicles in Crawford County, late Sunday morning. The Iowa State Patrol said all of the victims were from Denison. The fatalities includes a female, 22-year old Robbie Reed McMullen and a male, 19-year old Emiliano Fernando Ramos, neither of whom were wearing their seat belts. The injured were identified as 18-year old Luis Enrique Mendez, 43-year old Fred Edward Hall, Jr., and 62-year old Dawn Ranae Jessen, again, all from Denison. They suffered serious injuries, and were transported to the Crawford County Medical Center by Crawford County EMS. They were later transported to a hospital in Omaha. Mendez and Jessen were wearing their seat belts, while Hall was not.

Officials say the accident happened at around 11:40-a.m., on Highway 39 near the intersection of Vernon Voss Road, just north of Denison. The crash began when a 2002 VW Beetle driven by Robbie McMullen, approached a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser as they were both traveling north on Highway 39. The VW was traveling at a high rate of speed and attempted to pass the Chrysler on the left.

A southbound Chevy S-10 pickup driven by Fred Hall, Jr., was southbound on Highway 39 and swerved onto the shoulder to avoid the collision, but the VW also swerved onto the shoulder. The pickup swerved back into the southbound lanes, while the VW swerved to the right and went out of control, going sideways. The left front side of the pickup struck the left side door of the VW, which then side swiped the PT Cruiser, sending that vehicle into a spin before it entered the east ditch.

The VW rolled over and came to rest on its top on the east shoulder of Highway 39, facing south. Emiliano Ramos was ejected from the rear seat of the VW, and landed in the northbound lane of the highway. He died at the Crawford County Hospital. Luis Mendez was extricated from the VW by mechanical means by Denison Fire and Rescue. Robbie McMullen, who was also extricated from the VW by mechanical means, died at the scene of the crash. Hall was extricated from the pickup while Jessen was cut free from the PT Cruiser, both by mechanical means.

The accident remains under investigation. Assisting the Iowa Highway Patrol at the scene, was deputies with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, officers with the Denison Police Department, and Crawford County EMS.