A near head-on collision occurred late Monday night, in Crawford County, resulting in two people being injured. The Iowa State Patrol says the crash happened at 11:55-p.m. on Highway 59, between X and W Avenues. Authorities report a 2002 Chevy pickup driven by 37-year old Johnathan Miguel Casteneda Mendoza, of Denison, was traveling north on Highway 59, at the same time a 2005 Freightliner semi driven by 63-year old Juan Manuel Ortiz, of Chaska, MN., was traveling southbound.

For reasons unknown, the pickup crossed the center line of the road into the southbound lane, in front of the semi. When the vehicles collided in an off-set manner, the pickup rotated to the east and came to rest facing west in the northbound late, partially on the east shoulder. The semi entered the west ditch and rolled onto its driver’s side, burst into flames and burned.

Mendoza was transported by Crawford County Ambulance to the Crawford County Memorial Hospital, in Denison. Ortiz was flown by Med Air 1 to the UNMC, in Omaha. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. The accident remains under investigation.