Driver dies as car hits Iowa DOT vehicle on I-235 in Des Moines
A driver died on Interstate 235 Thursday after a car crashed into an Iowa Department of Transportation road maintenance vehicle.
Police responded to reports of a crash in the southbound lanes near the Guthrie Avenue exit at 2:26 p.m., according to a news release from the Des Moines Police Department.
A preliminary investigation found that the IDOT vehicle had pulled off to the grassy shoulder of the road and displayed its hazard lights, according to the release. Just before three employees exited the vehicle to perform roadside maintenance, a car being driven by a 72-year-old man struck the rear-end of the maintenance vehicle.
"Evidence at the scene indicates that the passenger vehicle left the roadway approximately 100 feet prior to crashing into the truck," police spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek wrote in the release.
The driver of the vehicle, Jose Mauricio Argueta Rodas of Des Moines, died at the scene. He was the only person in the vehicle at the time of the crash, Parizek said.
The crash remained under investigation on Friday morning, Parizek said. This is the first traffic-related fatality in Des Moines in 2023.
Another fatal crash Thursday involving Iowa DOT maintenance vehicle
The Des Moines fatal crash wasn't the only one Thursday involving an Iowa DOT vehicle conducting maintenance.
The Iowa State Patrol reported that a Jeep Cherokee hit a DOT plow truck while it was on the left shoulder of Interstate 80 in Iowa County. The Jeep's driver was killed. A third vehicle, a Hyundai Sonata driven by a 47-year-old Kansas resident, also was involved in the crash, the state patrol said.
The name of the driver of the Jeep was not immediately released. The driver of the DOT maintenance truck was taken to Marengo Hospital with injuries.
Iowa DOT did not respond to request for comment Friday. State patrol spokesman Sgt. Alex Dinkla called both accidents "unfortunate" and said that while crashes with maintenance vehicles can happen during inclement weather, it is unusual for them to occur on days with clear road conditions.
"No matter what, drivers need to always make sure they are paying attention to any road work zones or any vehicles on the side of the road who might have their safety lights on," he said.
Iowa law dictates that all drivers must move over or slow down if they see a vehicle on the side of the road with its emergency lights flashing.
Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Car crash into Iowa DOT vehicle on I-235 leaves one dead in Des Moines
