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Former Perry man set to stand trial in Guthrie Co. fatal crash

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February 27th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A man formally of Perry, who authorities say was the driver behind a car that went out of control in Guthrie County and crashed in 2009, is set to stand trial, Tuesday. According to the Omaha World-Herald, and, online court records,  30-year old Thomas Dugan has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving and drunken driving, in connection with the August 23rd, 2009 death of Adam Anderson, of Bagley.

Anderson was 28-years old at the time. As KJAN reported on August 24th, 2009, officials said a 2003 Ford Mustang the men were in, was traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on Wink Avenue in Guthrie County, when the road changed from hard surface, to gravel. The car began to fishtail out of control and entered a ditch before rolling end-over-end, and coming to rest on its top in a soybean field. Even though they were wearing seatbelts, both men were ejected during the crash, which happened at around 6:30-a.m.  Anderson died at the scene, while Dugan suffered critical injuries.

The newspaper says Dugan wasn’t charged until Feb. 2011, because it took authorities that long to determine who was driving. The answer came through the results of a DNA test. Dugan was arrested in March, 2011. He was released later that month on a $25,000 bond. According to Iowa Courts Online, the trial, which was supposed to have started January 24th, but was continued until 9:30-a.m. Tuesday in Guthrie County District Court,  is expected to last about four days.