Two die in separate Poweshiek County crashes

Two men died and a woman was injured in two separate accidents in Poweshiek County on the morning of Thursday, June 19.

The first incident was reported at 7:16 a.m.

According to the Iowa State Patrol crash report, the three-vehicle incident, which included two semitrucks, took place at the eastbound mile marker 185 on I-80.

Vehicle one, a 2017 International Semitruck with an oversize load driven by Gerald Allen Mayfield, 76, of Onalaska, Texas, had blown a tire and was parked on the eastbound shoulder.

Vehicle two, a 2006 Ford F350, was a pilot vehicle driven by Brenton Fregia of Troutman, N.C., who had parked behind Mayfield’s semi and was outside attending to the flat tire.

A third vehicle, a 1995 Kenworth Semitruck driven by Larry Comstock, 66, of Stronghurst, Ill., was traveling eastbound on I-80 when it struck vehicle two (the pilot truck), located behind vehicle one, causing a fatal injury to Fregia.

Fregia was taken to Unity Point Grinnell by Grinnell EMS, and Christina Marie Leeth, 48, of Onalaska, Texas, a passenger in the semitruck (vehicle one) driven by Mayfield, was transported by Grinnell EMS to Unity Point Grinnell.

It is not known what type of injuries Leeth suffered. The ISP reported she was wearing a seat belt.

Responding agencies included Grinnell Fire and Ambulance, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DOT, Poweshiek County EMA and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office.

In a second accident, a Belle Plaine man lost his life in a two-vehicle accident on V-18 and 460th Avenue.

The incident was reported at 7:40 a.m.

According to the Iowa State Patrol crash report, James John Jacobi, 70, was traveling southbound on V-18 in a 1992 Pontiac Bonneville when he was struck by vehicle two, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, traveling northbound on V-18 and driven by Joshua Allen Klein, 37, of Brooklyn.

According to the ISP crash report, vehicle two crossed the centerline into the southbound lane, crashing into vehicle one. The ISP reported that vehicle one attempted to maneuver onto the shoulder, but vehicle two continued toward vehicle one, striking it and causing damage to the front driver’s side of both vehicles.

Vehicle one came to rest in the west ditch facing north and vehicle two came to rest in the north travel lane facing south.

Jacobi, who was in vehicle one, lost his life in the crash and was transported to Holland Coble Funeral Home by Montezuma Ambulance.

No other information on the crash was made available.

Responding agencies included Brooklyn Fire, Montezuma Fire and Ambulance, Poweshiek County Secondary Roads, East Poweshiek Ambulance, Iowa State Patrol, UIHC AirCare, and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office.

Both collisions are under the investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.