(Lee, Plymouth & Poweshiek Counties) – The Iowa State Patrol reports four people died and four others were injured in separate crashes that occurred Saturday. (As we previously reported) 18-year-old Lucas Timothy Johnson, of Farmington, died in a Lee County motorcycle crash. The accident was discovered at around 7:40-a.m. Saturday, near Pilot Grove. The Patrol says Johnson’s Yamaha motorcycle left the road when it failed to negotiate a curve, and struck a utility pole. He died at the scene. The accident remained under investigation.

In Poweshiek County, two people died and four others were injured, when an SUV driven by 18-year-old Andrew J. Buttler, of Freeport, FL, failed to stop at the intersection of Highway 63 and Ewart Road, and collided with another SUV, that was driven by 51-year-old George J. Wegner, of Judson, Arkansas. The 2015 Jeep Buttler was driving came to rest in a cornfield. The crash happened at around 5:30-p.m., Saturday.  Two rear seat passengers in the vehicle died at the scene. They were not wearing seat belts. Their names were not released (as of the posting of this report).

Buttler, George Wegner, and two passengers in the vehicles were injured. They were identified as 48-year-old Jessica L. Atta, of Judsonia, AR, and 18-year-old Martin Contreras, of Hinsdale, IL. The injured – who were wearing seat belts – were transported by ambulance to the hospital in Grinnell

The third fatal accident happened at around 7:45-p.m. in Plymouth County. The Iowa State Patrol says a pickup driven by 19-year-old Sarah Van Ostrand, of Struble (IA), was westbound on County road C-12, when the vehicle crossed the center line and collided head-on with an eastbound semi. Ostrand died at the scene. The driver of the semi, 35-year-old David Cleveringa, of Sioux Center, was not injured.