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3 dead, 3 injured in a Harrison County multi-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon

News

June 19th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

A crash in Harrison County involving three motorcycles and a semi resulted in the deaths of three people from western Iowa, and injuries to three more.  The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened on Iowa Highway 127 and Loess Hills Trail, between Mondamin and Magnolia, at around 4:23-p.m. It caused resulted in the road being closed until late Sunday night.

The Patrol says a 1990 Kenworth truck driven by 73-year-old Ronald Keith Meeker, of Woodbine, was traveling west on Iowa Hwy 127, when the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, and stop at a stop sign. The truck rolled onto its side into the southbound lane and struck a 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 53-year old Steven Theodore Starkey, of Council Bluffs.

When the motorcycle entered the southbound ditch, Starkey and his passenger, 53-year-old Julie Starkey, of Council Bluffs, were ejected. The operator of a 2016 Harley,  52-year-old Joseph Anthony Baker, of Yutan, NE, dumped his cycle onto its side. He jumped from the bike prior to being hit by the truck. A 2004 Yamaha motorcycle operated by 38-year-old Adam Opal, of McClelland, evaded contact with the semi, but Adam and his passenger, 38-year-old Samantha Opal, of McClelland, were thrown from the cycle.

Adam and Samantha Opal were transported by helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha. Ronald Meeker, along with Steven and Julie Starkey, died at the scene and were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office by Missouri Valley Rescue. Joseph Baker was transported by Mo. Valley Rescue to CHI/Missouri Valley Hospital by Mondamin Rescue.