(STRUBLE)–Nine people were injured in a seven-vehicle collision on Highway 75, near the Sioux County line Thursday afternoon.
According to Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo, five vehicles were stopped facing north on Highway 75, waiting for a construction pilot car to escort them north.
The sheriff reports a semi truck also traveling north, failed to stop and collided with one vehicle which in turn began a chain reaction into other vehicles.
The driver of the semi was 44-year-old David Anderson of Yale, Michigan who was not injured. Van Otterloo says the area under construction was clearly marked ahead of the construction zone and it’s not known why Anderson did not see or slow down for the other vehicles.
The semi Anderson was driving struck the rear of a car driven by 43-year-old Dale Woudstra of Sioux Center who was taken to Mercy Medical Center by Mercy Air Care. A spokesman for the Sioux City hospital says Anderson is in “good” condition.
A third vehicle was driven by 53-year-old Michael Meyer of Orange City. Meyer is a Gehlen Catholic Girls’ Volleyball coach who was driving his car to meet the team bus for a match. Meyer was air lifted to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls. Gehlen Catholic School President Rev. Kevin Richter has asked for prayers for Meyer and others involved in the accident. Meyer is listed in “fair” condition at Sanford.
The fourth car was driven by 82-year-old Norman Wessels of Luverne, Minnesota. Wessels and his passengers, 81-year-old Joyce Wessels; 73-year-old Herman Walker; and 76-year-old Gladys Walker, were taken by Sioux Center Ambulance to the Sioux Center Hospital.
Two more people were taken by Sioux Center Ambulance to the Sioux Center Hospital. They were the driver of the fifth car, 31-year-old Travis Cogdill and his passenger, 23-year-old Erin Cogdill, both of Rock Rapids.
The sixth car was driven by 52-year-old Ralph Goemaat of Sioux Center who refused treatment.
A pickup truck driven by 23-year-old Lee Mellema of Sioux Center was the seventh vehicle and Mellema was not injured.
The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol; Sioux Center Police, Fire and Ambulance; Le Mars Ambulance and Fire; Maurice Fire and Rescue; Orange City Ambulance;,Mercy Air Care and Sanford Intensive Air Trauma 1. See the press release www.plymouthcountysheriff.org
