A multi-vehicle collision Monday morning on Interstate 80 in eastern Iowa resulted in the death of a semi tractor-trailer driver, and injuries to another person. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2015 Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by 23-year-old Savannah Bothwell, of Montezuma, was in the westbound lane when the vehicle experienced a mechanical failure that caused it to go out of control and strike a cable barrier.

The impact caused the pickup to rotate and re-enter the westbound lanes before coming to rest on the Interstate. Two semi’s slowed down when their driver’s saw the crash, but a 2015 International semi failed to slow down and struck the rear of a 2022 Kenworth semi. The Kenworth then struck a 2017 Volvo semi, which hit the pickup.

An occupant of the third semi died in the crash. They were wearing a seat belt. Their name was withheld, pending notification of family. The injured party was identified as 29-year-old Aden Mohamed, of Columbus, OH. He was not wearing a seat belt. Mohamed was transported by ambulance to the hospital in Grinnell for treatment.

The other semi drivers were identified as 22-year-old Talon S. Long, of Depere, WI., and 31-year-old Najinder Singh, of Ontario, CN.

(Omaha, NE) – Police in Omaha report a Pottawattamie County man died early today (Tuesday),  in a crash that occurred as he was traveling the wrong direction on the one-way, eastbound only Harney Street, in the City’s Blackstone District. Authorities report 27-year-old DJ Michael Myers, of Council Bluffs, died when he lost control of his 2020 Kia Forte, which struck a tree near 37th Street and Harney Street. The crash happened at around 12:20-a.m.

The Kia uprooted a small tree, careened across an empty parking lot and hit a large tree on South 37th Street. Myers was the only occupant of the vehicle. Omaha police say their initial investigation indicates speed was likely a factor in the crash.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says she wants to stay on the Appropriations Committee after being elected to a second term. “I think it’s absolutely critical that Iowa continues to have a seat on that committee. I am the only Iowan on the Appropriations Committee,” she says. U-S House Republicans look like they will take back control of the chamber and they will vote today (Tuesday) on leadership in anticipation of that happening. Hinson says her leadership choices have been clear. “Kevin McCarthy for Speaker, Steve Scalise for our majority leader, Elise Stefanik, as our conference chair, and I’m supporting Jim Banks as our whip,” she says.

Republicans took back the only Democrat-held house seat when Zach Nunn defeated incumbent Cindy Axne. Hinson says that will be helpful. “Certainly, we will be able to continue to advocate for the agenda that Iowans sent us to Washington D-C to do. It’s very clear to me the story I was out telling him the district and hearing from Iowans, that they valued our commitment to America and they want to see us execute that,” Hinson says. She detailed what that commitment means.

“The strong economy, the safe nation, the future that’s built on freedom and the government that’s accountable. They want to see us deliver on that. So I think we will be a strong delegation to deliver in that regard,” Hinson says. Randy Feenstra and Marienette Miller-Meeks also won re-election and make up the rest of the Republican House delegation.

(Radio Iowa) – With a few inches of snow forecast for roughly two thirds of the state today (Tuesday), many Iowans are likely to encounter slippery sidewalks, driveways and parking lots for the first time since last winter. Kevin Bultena, a doctor of physical therapy and director of the 21st Century Rehab Clinic in Webster City, says take precautions to protect yourself in case of a fall. “Keeping your hands out of your pocket to try and stabilize yourself, but we also don’t want you to necessarily try and reach out and brace your fall on an extended arm,” Bultena says. “We would rather have a fall where you tuck and roll and hit on a broad base, the leg, the side, the shoulder, kind of diffuse the contact points.”

Bultena says to choose your footwear wisely when the wintery weather arrives to help prevent falls. “It’s the first, obviously, point of contact between your body and the ice,” he says, “and if your footwear is slipping and sliding, the likelihood that you’re going to follow suit and end up on the ground is pretty high.” Iowans who are headed to work will want to wear professional-looking shoes, but they also need to use common sense when selecting the day’s pair of shoes so they don’t end up cracking a tailbone.

“We want shoes that are flat, no heels because that sets you up for falls, but even the type of shoe in terms of the sole matters,” he says, “a rubberized sole or a composite sole is going to hold the ice much better than plastic sole or a leather sole.” More than 800,000 people a year nationwide are treated for falls.