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Fatal, fiery wrong-way crash NE of Atlantic Tuesday night

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September 24th, 2025 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – One person died during a fiery crash Tuesday night northeast of Atlantic. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the accident happened at around 11:39-p.m., on Highway 71 just south of Fayette Road.

The Patrol says a 2008 Chevy Cobalt was traveling north in the southbound lane of Highway 71 when it collided head-on with a 2016 Kenworth semi driven by 59-year-old Michael Conn, of Maryville, MO.

Following the collision, both vehicles came to rest in the east ditch off of Highway 71. The driver of the car died at the scene. Their name was not released, pending identification by the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny. The semi driver was uninjured.

The road remained closed for several hours following the crash. It finally opened at around 9:40-a.m., Wednesday. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Cass EMS and Atlantic Fire and Rescue. All Atlantic units had cleared from the scene a little after 6:30-a.m. (Wednesday).

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A separate accident with minor injuries happened just before midnight on I-80, near the Cass/Pottawattamie County line, at mile marker 53 eastbound, where a semi rolled into the ditch. The truck was hauling construction equipment. The driver complained of pain, but was not transported to the hospital. A Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy assisted rescue crews at the scene. No other information is currently available.