Des Moines man found dead in mail delivery truck in Sheldahl

The Story County Sheriff’s Office found a deceased 43-year-old man in a truck in Sheldahl Tuesday evening at approximately 5:30 p.m. The man has been identified as Joel Potter of Des Moines.

The truck, a delivery vehicle contracted to the United States Postal Service, was found in a ditch after accelerating off of the road, crashing through a corner of a garage and striking a tree and storage shed. The truck was found near the intersection of Boone Street and North Street.

Sheldahl is located approximately 12 miles southwest of Ames and is located in Story, Polk and Boone counties.

The victim was alone in the vehicle and the preliminary investigation suggests his death was caused by a medical issue, according to the Story County Sheriff's Office.

It was reported to Story County sheriff deputies that Potter was having trouble breathing before departing the most recent stop on his mail delivery route. Moments after leaving the Sheldahl Post Office, witnesses observed the truck nearly come to a stop in the middle of the road before the accident.

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Slater First and Fire, Huxley Fire, Polk City Ambulance, and Mercy One Air Ambulance assisted the Story County Sheriff’s Office on the call.

Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Emergency services find Des Moines man dead in truck in Sheldahl