Hundreds of football fans at a homecoming game in northwest Iowa witnessed a horrific traffic accident that produced an explosion and sent two people to the hospital. It happened at about eight Friday night in Le Mars, during the halftime of the Le Mars Gehlen game against Woodbury Central. The marching band was performing when a motorcycle collided head-on with a pick-up on the street just beyond the field. The motorcycle slid beneath the pick-up, a fire was sparked and fans in the stands saw a ball of fire erupt. Officials believe it was the gas tank on the motorcycle that exploded.

Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper was at the football game and quickly determined two people were injured. “The fortunate thing was we had an ambulance right at the football field so those people received medical treatment within minutes and, of course, the fire department responded to put the fire out,” Schipper says. The game was suspended for nearly a half an hour while emergency crews worked at the scene. The fire chief wasn’t just concerned about the two people directly involved. He worried Woodbury Central fans on the visiting sideline were too close to the fire.

“They got on the PA right away and told visiting folks to please exit the bleachers and go to the north side, leave everything there, just get out of those bleachers,” Schipper says. “We had the pick-up fully engulfed. We had gasoline on fire. We had explosions happening with the tires. We’ve got power lines right above there, some bigger trees and things like that, so we wanted those people to clear out of there for their safety.” Heavy smoke from the fire drifted across the playing field and over the bleachers on both sides of the field. Fire fighters used foam to smother the fire.

The accident remains under investigation, but the accident report from Le Mars Police had identified the drivers of both vehicles. Twenty-one-year-old Dillon McKinney of Le Mars was the driver of the motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital in Le Mars, then airlifted to a hospital in Sioux City for treatment of severe injuries. Twenty-three-year-old Samantha Priekset of Le Mars was a passenger on the motorcycle. She was treated at the hospital in Le Mars and has been released.

Surprisingly, the driver of the pick-up and his passenger were both able to escape without injury. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the fire.

(Radio Iowa)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The area’s top news at 7:05-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Police in Red Oak, Friday evening, arrested 24-year old Justin Lewis Marsden, of Red Oak, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Marsden was brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on a $5,000 cash bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:43 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Cedar Rapids Washington High School substitute teacher charged with sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old male student has turned herself in after a judge issued an arrest warrant for violation of a no-contact order. Mary Elizabeth Haglin, who is 24, agreed to stay away from the student, who has since turned 18.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man whose 50-year prison sentence for second-degree murder was overturned earlier this year could be free soon after he agreed to a plea deal. Kent Anthony Tyler was convicted in 2013 in the death of Richard Daughenbaugh who was punched and kicked after joining a gathering of teens and young adults near Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines in August 2013. The conviction was overturned last year and he pleaded guilty to willful injury.

COLFAX, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say the body of a man missing since Sunday has been recovered from the South Skunk River. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday that the body of Mike McDaniels, of Newton, was found near Metz Bridge, southeast of Colfax. McDaniels was last seen Sunday night at his half brother’s home. His van and some fishing gear were found the next day along the river.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University’s president intends to propose a two-tier tuition structure that would impose a higher rate for juniors and seniors than the rate for freshman and sophomores at the Ames school. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that President Steven Leath mentioned the plan Wednesday during his 2016 Presidential Address. He provided few specifics from his plan, which he said he will submit to the Board of Regents for consideration.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports two women and one man were arrested after the women were found to be in possession of drugs while visiting the Fremont County Jail. The Sheriff says 48-year old Deneise Rainey and 28-year old Shara Wallace, both of Kansas City, MO., were arrested Friday evening, during a K9 search of people visiting inmates at the Fremont County Jail.

The K9 located methamphetamine before the women were able to enter the facility.

MCKIBBEN,M

RAINEY

WALLACE,S

Rainey and Wallace both face a Possession of Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine-2nd offense charge and were being held in the Fremont County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond, each.

During a follow-up investigation into the incident, Fremont County Deputies early this (Saturday) morning, arrested 28-year old Michael McKibben, of Hamburg, on two-counts of Delivery of Meth. McKibben was transported to the Fremont County Jail and held on $100,000 bond.

The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a prisoner at the Ft. Des Moines Work Release Facility (WRF) failed to return to the facility today (Friday) from his place of employment, and was listed as escaped. 39-year old Ronnie Lamare Johnson was transferred to Work Release on Aug.18th, 2016. He was serving a 10-year sentence for two counts of 2nd Degree Robbery out of Polk County.

Johnson is a black male, 6-feet tall, 278-pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. If you have seen him or know where he is, contact the Des Moines Police Department of Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Ronnie L. Johnson

Iowa Department of Corrections spokesman Fred Scaletta said Friday, a man serving a 10-year sentence for Burglary in the 2nd Degree out of Pottawattamie County, has died in prison. 40-year old Christopher Carl Cretin, an inmate assigned to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center Hospice Care Unit, died Wednesday, September 15th. Cretin died of natural causes due to chronic renal failure. His prison sentence began on October 1st, 2014.

A woman from Exira was transported to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital by Audubon Rescue, following an accident this (Friday) morning, on a one-lane bridge. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened at around 8:50-a.m. on 250th Street, west of Highway 71. It occurred when vehicles driven by 31-year old Bethany Jean Johnston, and 75-year old Karen Kaye Olsen, both of Exira, were approaching a one-lane bridge from opposite directions.

Johnston was already on the bridge, driving a 1997 Toyota, Olsen was approaching it in her 2000 Ford. Authorities say because the bridge approach has an incline, neither driver could see the other and the vehicles sideswiped each other.

Olsen was transported to the hospital following the collision. Damage from the mishap amounted to $5,500.

(12-p.m. News)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 54-year old Kelly Marie Erickson, of Massena, turned herself in at the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday, on charges that include felony Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd/Subsequent offense; Possession of Tramadol without Prescription; Prohibited Acts; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Erickson was released later that day on $5,000 bond.

On Thursday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 24-year old Drew Ashton Gagnon, and 22-year old Heidi Lynn Murphy, both of Sac City, on District Court warrants for Probation Violation. They were taken to the Cass County Jail and  released today (Friday), on their own recognizance.