Semi strikes pickup pulling a grain vac in Montgomery County: No injuries reported
January 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson
(Stanton, Iowa) – A collision in Montgomery County, Tuesday morning, between a semi tractor-grain hopper trailer, and a pickup pulling a grain vac, caused $14,500 damage, but no one was injured. The accident happened at around 10-a.m. west of Stanton, on Highway 34 at the intersection with Nature Avenue. Upon arrival, Deputies saw a 1998 Chevy K2500 pickup driven & owned by 78-year-old John L. Poston, of rural Villisca. The vehicle was facing southeast on Nature Avenue. Attached to it, was an AFI Rem grain vac, owned by Keast Enterprises, of Henderson (IA). It was overturned onto its right side.
Also on the scene, and located on the south shoulder of Highway 34 to the east of the pickup/grain vac, was a 2022 Kenworth W900 semi tractor and a hopper-bottom trailer. Both are owned by Kaiser Trucking out of Winning, SD. The semi was driven by 62-year-old William L. Assarsson, of Bassett, NE.
Authorities say as a result of their investigation, it was determined that the pickup pulling the ag equipment was traveling west on Highway 34 and slowing to make a left-hand turn onto Nature Avenue. A non-contact car behind the pickup heading westbound slowed to prepare for Poston’s turn. As the semi approached from the rear, Assarsson saw the vehicles ahead of him were slowing. He tried to avoid hitting the vehicles, by entering the eastbound lanes while still westbound. As the pickup & grain vac were turning, they were struck by the semi on the left side, causing the grain vacuum to overturn and come to rest on its side.
Assarsson drove the semi onto the shoulder of the road and parked it, to minimize the danger to other motorists. The semi sustained $2,500 damage. Damage to the pickup was estimated $5,000, and the grain vac sustained $7,000 damage. There were no citations issued.