An SUV carrying six people from Smyrna, Tennessee overturned Sunday morning in Fremont County, killing two and injuring four others. The Iowa State Patrol said the accident happened near the 18-mile marker of I-29 northbound, just after 7-a.m, north of Percival. Officials say a 2004 Chevy Suburban driven by 26-year old Ricardo Osori-Torres went off the road for reasons unknown, and into the median, before re-entering the northbound lanes of travel, where it rolled several times, ejecting at least two of its six occupants. One of the persons who was ejected was then stuck by a northbound semi. The Patrol says no one in the SUV was wearing a seat belt.
24-year old Maria Ledezma and 15-year old Alex Ledezma died at the scene. 10-year old Carlos, 14-year old Victor, and 8 year old Jacklyn Ledezma were injured, along with the driver. Jacklyn and Victor Ledezma, along with Ricardo Osorio-Torres, was transported by helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha, while Carlos Ledezma was taken to the UNMC by Sidney Rescue.
The accident, which resulted in I-29 being closed for nearly4-hours Sunday in both directions, remains under investigation.