Sheriff: Speed Involved in 2 of 4 Crashes During Deadly Weekend in Linn County

Two people died, two more suffered serious injuries and another four were taken to the hospital between four separate vehicle accidents between Friday and Sunday.

One of the two seriously injured was a passenger in an SUV ejected from the vehicle and is in "very critical condition," Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner said. 

"It is unusual for us to have that number of serious accidents in such a short period of time," Gardner said.

His deputies were kept busy, with three from the accident reconstruction team responding to all four accidents. Gardner said police from Marion, which tends to have fewer vehicle fatalities than elsewhere in the county, often volunteer to help on the accident reconstruction team to keep up their training.

Gardner said speed appears to be a factor in at least two of the four accidents, and blood work is not yet complete to determine whether drugs or alcohol were involved. He said he does not yet know the speeds of the vehicle. 

A jogger discovered a cargo van in a ditch with the driver, identified by authorities as Jeffery Wayne Whitney, 61, of Martelle, dead inside on Saturday east of Marion in Springville. It had veered off the road and struck a tree. 

Read more: Jogger Discovers Body In Vehicle in Linn County

Early Sunday morning a semi truck driver, identified by authorities as Loras John Pfab, 68, of Bernard, died after veering off the road and down a steep embankment at the Highway 13 and 30 interchange. Gardner said appears to be a factor in this crash.

Read more: Trucker Dies After Semi Rolls Down Steep Embankment

A Marion man was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after crashing his Harley Davidson motorcycle on to the highway on Friday afternoon. Robert Pelletier, 59, of Marion, lost control of his motorcycle and crashed just south of Marion.

Read more: Marion Man Taken to Hospital After Crashing Harley Davidson Motorcycle

And, Friday evening a single-vehicle crash into a power line pole sent five people to the hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries. The crash occurred at Hindman Road, about three-quarters of a mile south of County Home Road on the north eastern outskirts of Marion. 

Driver Austin Keilholtz, 24, of Cape Coral, FL, was taken to Mercy Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Troy Cowan, 25 of Van Buren, AR, was flown to University of Iowa Hospital by Lifeguard Air Ambulance with life-threatening injuries. Corey Merritt, 24 of Cape Coral, FL, was transported to University of Iowa Hospital by 
Area Ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.  Harden Kemper, 22 of Damascus, AR, and Ashley Block, 22, of Marion, were both transported to St. Luke's Hospital by Area Ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.  

Speed appears to be a factor in this crash, Gardner said.

Read more: SUV Crashes into Powerline Pole, Sending 5 to Hospital