OMAHA, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol said a western Iowa man was died in a three-vehicle crash early Saturday morning on Interstate 80. The crash happened at around 1-a.m. on westbound I-80 near I Street, in Omaha. The crash involved a semi, a Chevrolet Express van, and Honda Accord. The driver of the Chevrolet, 36-year-old Tanner Mudra, of Council Bluffs, died at the scene, according to the patrol.

The driver of the Honda was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the semi was not hurt.

Troopers said the Honda driver lost control and hit the concrete median. The semi driver then pulled over to help the driver of the Honda. NSP said the Chevrolet driver then hit the Honda, which had come to rest in a lane of travel, and then hit the semi.

NSP said the crash is still under investigation.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision east of Creston Friday night claimed the lives of two people from Nebraska. The Iowa State Patrol this (Saturday) afternoon, said the accident happened at around 7-p.m. on Highway 34 at Iris Avenue, as a 2008 Ford Explorer was eastbound on Highway 34. A 1996 Peterbilt semi, which was stopped at the posted sign sign on Iris Avenue, proceeded to turn left onto Highway 34. The SUV collided with the grain hopper trailer the semi was pulling.

The driver of the SUV, 17-year-old Izabella M. Martinez, and a front seat passenger in the vehicle, 18-year-old Alex Conner Mauseth, both of Omaha, died at the scene. A third passenger in the Explorer, 14-year-old Xavier Martinez, of Omaha, was injured and transported to the hospital by Creston EMS. Both front seat occupants were wearing their seat belts. The 14-year-old was unrestrained.

The driver of the semi, 63-year-old Kelly Lee Jones, of Creston, was not injured. The deaths in Union County, bring to seven, the number of people who died in crashes, Friday. Four people died in a crash Friday night in Cedar Rapids, and a man from Osceola died Friday afternoon in a crash west of Osceola.

(Stanton, Iowa) – In an update to a report posted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Friday evening, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said a man from Villisca was flown to a trauma center following a bridge collapse on a private drive Friday morning, northwest of Stanton. 53-year-old Clint A. Means suffered serious injuries after the dry floater fertilizer spreader he was driving fell through a bridge an into the Tarkio River. He was last reported to be in serious, but stable condition.

According to the report, Means was operating a John Deere F4365 dry floater when the machine fell through the bridge, trapping him inside. The floater ended up on its side in the river facing west. Means was extricated from the operator’s station of the equipment.

The machine, owned by New Cooperative, sustained an $75,000 damage. Damage to the bridge, owned by Darren R. Barkman, of Stanton, was  estimated at $150,000.

The DNR earlier stated the collapse caused a fertilizer spreader to enter the waterway, resulting in an unknown amount of mono ammonium phosphate (MAP), sulfur, and potash being spilled into the Tarkio River approximately one mile north of Stanton. The collapse also ruptured a fuel tank, spilling roughly 100 gallons of diesel into the creek.

Bridge collapse near Stanton (DNR photo)

Field office staff from the Department of Natural Resources were on-site, Friday, collecting both upstream and downstream samples from the Tarkio River. Booms were placed downstream of the incident and samples will be submitted to the State Hygienic Lab for analysis. No dead fish were observed.

Cleanup efforts were underway. The DNR says it will continue to monitor cleanup efforts and consider appropriate enforcement action.

Council Bluffs, Iowa [KETV] — A series of unfortunate events led to a family from eastern Iowa trespassing into a Council Bluffs man’s home last weekend. KETV in Omaha reports the family believed they’d rented the home on Vrbo, the popular vacation rental site, but the homeowner said he never listed his home. Now both parties want Vrbo to take more precautions to avoid scams like this.

Scott Porter has lived in his Council Bluffs home for three years. He believes a scammer used photos of his home from a previous sale listing to create a fake vacation rental listing on Vrbo. Purely out of coincidence were the renters able to enter his house. Melanee Lee and her family were visiting Council Bluffs the weekend of Nov. 24. She found Porter’s home listed on Vrbo and booked it.

When the day came, her family didn’t get any check in details but went to the house in search of a lockbox with a key to get in. Lee’s mother found an unlocked side door. Lee said she didn’t think this was strange since some hosts didn’t use the front door for guests. The family went in and began dividing up rooms.

Porter’s friend of the home’s owner noticed an unusual number of vehicles in the driveway while Porter was away. When the friend spoke with Lee, she called Porter, and after speaking with him, realized they had been scammed. The Better Business Bureau said they’ve seen a handful of vacation rental scams locally and thousands across the nation. They said also, it’s important to report scams to the BBB, so others don’t fall victim.

In a statement to KETV, Vrbo said it appears the home was mistakenly listed its site, and has since been removed from their platform. The account that listed the home was also been suspended. Vrbo said the family that booked the home was refunded, and alternative lodging was paid for.