Bengtson parents file civil suit in daughter Ellen’s death

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The parents of a young Charles City woman who was killed while riding a bicycle last year have filed a civil suit against the man identified by authorities as being involved in the collision.

Peter and JoAnn Bengtson, who live in Richland, Washington, filed the suit in Floyd County District Court in early March, individually and as administrators of the estate of Ellen Bengtson.

Ellen Bengtson, age 28, died as a result of injuries received when she was struck by a pickup truck while riding her bicycle on county road T64 about half a mile south of 230th Street, south of Charles City, early in the evening of Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, according to the report by the Iowa State Patrol.

The report said Colby Elliott, now age 44, then of Clarksville, was driving a Ford F150 pickup and failed to see Bengtson and ran into her. Both were traveling south on the road at the time.

Bengtson was transferred by Mercy Air Med helicopter to MercyOne-North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, where she died from her injuries.

No criminal charges are on file in Floyd County District Court regarding the event.

The lawsuit by the Bengtsons was filed March 3, but was unable to be served on Elliott by a Butler County deputy, who reported on March 15 that Elliott no longer lives at his Clarksville address. The suit was accepted by Elliott’s attorney, Robert Rehkemper of West Des Moines, on Monday.

In the suit, the Bengtsons allege that Elliott was negligent, and that negligence was the cause of damages to the Bengtsons, including medical expenses for Ellen Bengtson, present value of the loss of accumulation of the estate of Ellen Bengtson, and loss of parental companionship by Peter Bengtson and by JoAnn Bengtson.

The Bengtsons are being represented by Joel Yunek of Mason City.