The Iowa State Patrol, late Saturday night, released the names of the victims involved in a fatal crash earlier that afternoon on westbound Interstate 80, in Cass County. Officials say the driver of a 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle, 38-year old Ryan J. Lossing, of Omaha, NE., died in the crash. The Omaha World-Herald says Lossing was among a large contingent of other motorcycle riders who were on their way back to Omaha from the Freedom Rock in Adair County.
The group was escorting the remains of of an Army Veteran, Bill Henry, to Nebraska. Henry was the co-founder and coordinator of the Nebraska chapter of the Missing in America Project, which works with funeral homes to return unclaimed remains of veterans to family members or arranges for burial in military cemeteries. The group had assembled at 9-a.m. Saturday at Haworth Park in Bellevue, NE., to begin their ride to the Freedom Rock, which was one of Henry’s favorite places to visit.
In a sad irony, the 69-year old Henry died Sept. 14th of head injuries suffered two weeks earlier when his motorcycle crashed in Manassas, Virginia, while he and hundreds of other bikers were escorting the remains of six West Coast veterans to Arlington National Cemetery for burial.
Officials say during Saturday’s crash, a 2001 Buick Lucerne, driven by 81-year old Donald Kerby, of Des Moines, was traveling in the right lane at around 12:48-p.m. at around the 57.7 mile marker (just past the Olive Street exit/Exit 57), when he saw stock trailer on the right shoulder of the road. Kerby moved left, and came into contact with a 2000 Yamaha Motorcycle, driven by 33-year old John Chase, of Pacific Junction, who was in the left lane of travel.
The contact caused the Buick to enter the median, and Chase’ cycle to fall onto its side in the left lane. A 2008 Harley Davidson driven by 38-year old Ryan Lossing swerved to avoid the 1st collision, and ended up on its side, with Ryan and his passenger, 38-year old Christina Lossing, also of Omaha, being ejected. Ryan Lossing was then struck and killed by a westbound 2007 Kenworth semi, driven by 61-year old Senad Segetalo, of Salt Lake City, UT.
Christina Lossing was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. Reports say she was treated and released. Chase was also transported to CCMH, while the driver of a 2005 Harley Davidson, 56-year old William J. Schurevich, of Fremont, NE, was injured after he laid his cycle on its side in order to avoid the crash. He was flown from CCMH by LifeNet helicopter, to Creighton University Medical Center, in Omaha.