Four-semi pileup north of Floyd including collision with moving train causes minor injuries

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A train and four semi trailer trucks were involved in an accident Monday morning north of Floyd on U.S. Highway 218 during snowy whiteout conditions, that resulted in minor injuries.

Another accident earlier in the morning, also on Highway 218 north of Floyd, also involved a semi trailer, this one colliding with a minivan.

Area fire departments and ambulance crews were called to the scene a little after 11 a.m., to the railroad crossing with U.S. Highway 218 about a mile north of Floyd, north of the intersection with 150th Street.

According to the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, a 2015 Volvo semi heading southbound, driven by Jeffrey Baker, of New London, was stopped at the railroad crossing waiting for a train to pass, when a 2010 Peterbilt semi, driven by Alvin Brandau, from Floyd, also heading southbound, did not see the Baker semi stopped due to the whiteout conditions.

While trying to avoid the Baker semi, Brandau clipped the tanker Baker was pulling, the report said. Then Brandau collided with five of the railroad cars that were passing by and came to a stop.

The train did not stop, and a deputy at the scene said it was possible the engineer did not realize the train had been struck.

The collision with the train cars tore a hole in the trailer being pulled by Brandau, spilling a small part of its load of corn onto the highway.

Also heading southbound was a 2015 Mack semi, driven by Robert Lane, from West Burlington, that collided with the back of the Brandau trailer. Then a 2016 Mack semi, driven by Danny Mapes, from West Burlington, collided into the back of the Lane trailer.

Lane and Mapes were transported to the Floyd County Medical Center with minor injuries, the Sheriff’s Office report said.

Estimated damage to the Baker tanker is $40,000. Estimated damage to the Brandau tractor trailer is $70,000. Estimated damage to the Lane tractor trailer is $50,000, and estimated damage to the Mapes tractor trailer is $20,000.

Estimated damage to the railroad crossing and railroad cars is $7,000.

Total damage was estimated at $187,000.

The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Floyd and Colwell fire departments and AMR ambulance.

In the earlier accident, at about 8:45 a.m. at Highway 218 and 140th Street, a minivan was stopped on the highway waiting to turn when it was rear-ended by a semi.

Minor injuries were reported and total damage was estimated at $10,000. Weather was not a factor in this accident, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted in this accident by the Iowa State Patrol, Floyd County EMA and the Floyd Fire Department.