DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa State Patrol (ISP) has completed an extensive investigation surrounding the circumstances into the four person vehicle fatality crash that occurred on I-80 near the Waukee exit in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 26, 2016. The driver of the Ford Taurus, Benjamin E. Beary, 25, Knoxville was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-80 when his vehicle collided head-on with a Des Moines Police Department transport SUV at approximately 12:32 a.m.

Based on the investigation of the scene and an examination of the vehicles, the investigators made the following findings about the crash.

– The Ford Taurus, driven by Mr. Beary was traveling at a speed of approximately 102 mph at the time of impact.

– The Des Moines Police unit was traveling at a speed of approximately 79 mph at the time of impact.

– Speed zone for this particular area of the interstate is 70 mph.

– Iowa State Patrol Technical Investigators determined that at the time of the crash, there was no braking by either vehicle.  The crash occurred just beyond the crest of a small incline and is the investigators’ conclusion that the Des Moines officers could not see the Ford Taurus until just before impact.

– The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner concluded that the 3 occupants in the Des Moines Police unit died from multiple blunt force injuries. Des Moines officers Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales, who had been on the job less than six months, were killed in the crash, along with 32-year-old Tosha Nicole Hyatt of Des Moines.  The cause of death for Mr. Beary was determined to be from multiple blunt force injuries, thermal injuries, and smoke inhalation.

– Toxicology reports indicated that Mr. Beary’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of the crash was 0.223% (nearly 3x the legal limit).    This report also showed recent use of marijuana by Mr. Beary.

– Toxicology reports for the Des Moines officers were negative for alcohol and common illicit or prescription drugs.

– Based upon the investigation, the Iowa State Patrol’s Technical Investigator(s) concluded that Mr. Beary merged onto I-80 at the Grand Prairie Parkway interchange driving westbound into the eastbound lanes of travel.  This interchange is marked appropriately with signage and markings. The investigators concluded that Mr. Beary’s high level of impairment resulted in him driving the wrong way on the interstate.

The left lane of southbound Interstate 35 between U.S. 30 and Iowa 210 in Story County is now open to traffic, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 1 office. The right lane of southbound I-35 will remain closed for repairs.

Traffic was being detoured for a time, because the roadbed had been undermined and washed away in a construction zone about two miles south of U.S. Highway 30.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation report the southbound lanes of Interstate 35 between U.S. Highway 30 and Iowa Highway 210 in Story County, are closed for emergency repair work. According to reports, part of the shoulder under construction has washed away in the rain, leading to a partial undermining of the interstate. Motorists will be detoured around the closure using U.S. 30 to U.S. 69, to Iowa 210, and then back on to I-35.

Officials with Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) says a tree limb falling on a power line caused about 230 people to lose power this (Wednesday) morning, in Atlantic. The tree limb fell in the vicinity of W. 29th and Willow Streets, at around 6:20-a.m.  AMU says all of it’s affected customers had their power restored by around 7:15-a.m.

Winds at the time were gusting from 25-to 45-miles per hour, with higher gusts to over 50 miles per hour. Other utilities had reported power outages as well this morning, including customers of Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative in Adams, Cass, Montgomery and Taylor Counties. Mid-American Energy also reported scattered outages in Griswold, Lewis, Carbon, Red Oak and Villisca.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office say they are trying to locate 15-year old Emma Lee Lucas of Bedford. Lucas is 5′ 01″ 100 lbs with light brown hair and hazel eyes. She is likely with 17 year old Matthew Petersen of Sheridan, Missouri. The teens are possibly in a white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado with a winch in the back. The truck has Iowa license plate # DYH683.

Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley will hold three town meetings in southwest and south central Iowa on May 5th and May 6th as part of his annual 99-county meetings.  On May 5th and 6th, Grassley will be in Bedford, Mount Ayr and Leon. 

His schedule is as follows:

Thursday, May 5

Taylor County: 3:45-4:45 p.m. – Taylor County Farm Bureau Meeting Room, in Bedford (607 Pollock Boulevard).

Friday, May 6

Ringgold County : 8:00-9:00 a.m. – Ringgold County Courthouse (109 West Madison Street), in Mt. Ayr.

Decatur County : 10:00-11:00 a.m. – Leon Community Center (203 NE 2^nd Street), in Leon.

Grassley says he will continue his long-standing practice of holding constituent meetings in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.  Iowa’s senior Senator has held a meeting in every county, every year since he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate.  His question-and-answer sessions are open topic and cover whatever subjects those attending choose to raise.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Sioux City construction office reports the opening of the Interstate 29 off-ramp (exit 147B) to the new southbound frontage road, is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, April 29th, weather permitting. Motorists will now be able to access Nebraska Street and Floyd Boulevard using the new southbound frontage road.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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In an update to our report Tuesday morning, Creston Police today (Wednesday), said one of two women arrested Tuesday on drug charges, faces more charges. 40-year old Amy Crispin, of Creston, now faces two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense. Crispin, and 21-year old Kami Hilton, also of Creston, were arrested between 2:15-and 2:25-a.m., Tuesday. Hilton still faces a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance with the intent to deliver. Both women were being held in the Ringgold County Jail on $5,000 bond, each.

Creston Police report also, 14-year old Nathan Rains, of West Des Moines, was referred to Juvenile Services Tuesday evening, after he was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana in the 1200 block of N. Walnut Street, in Creston. The teens was subsequently released to the custody of his mother.

And, a Creston woman reported to police Tuesday afternoon, that sometime between 3-and 4:30-p.m., Tuesday, someone entered her apartment at 212 N. Oak Street, and stole an X-Box 1, 2 controllers, an X-Box 1 game, and a charger for the controllers. The culprit may have entered the apartment through a window. The loss was estimated at $500.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet in a regular session this evening at the High School Media Center. Their meeting begins at 5:30-p.m.  During the session, the Board will act on hiring, transfers and resignations, along with approving the 2016-17 Non-Certified staff’s tentative contract agreement.

During the discussion phase of their meeting, the Atlantic School Board will hear presentations with regard to: The Home/School Program; ELL Program, and Spring 2016 Iowa Assessments Board. They’ll also talk more about a proposed Special Election for an income surtax.

During their meeting two weeks ago, the Board agreed they still want to bring an income surtax vote back before patrons of district. Board Secretary/District Business Manager Mary Beth Fast said at the time, that the earliest the surtax could be placed before patrons of the district, is a special election on Sept. 13^th. The Board would need to have a ballot request submitted to County Election Commissioner Dale Sunderman by no later than July 29^th. The next available dates for Special Elections are in December 2016, and February or April, 2017.

Last September, voters rejected a public measure to add an income tax surcharge component to the district’s Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). Business Manager Mary Beth Fast has stated in previous meetings, that the maximum surtax the District could impose, if approved by the voters, is 10-percent. She said even if the District requested a nine-percent surtax, that would generate $300,000 and make for 67-cents difference in property tax relief.