2 killed in wrong-way collision in Jasper County

Two people were killed in a car collision on the evening of June 2 along Highway 163 in Jasper County after one of the drivers was traveling on the wrong side of the roadway and ended up crashing into another vehicle, authorities say.

Jasper County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release June 3 saying dispatch received a 911 call at approximately 7:53 p.m. about a motor vehicle traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 163. Three minutes later, law enforcement received additional calls that there had been an accident.

The crash was near mile marker 23 of Highway 163, between Monroe and Prairie City. The sheriff’s office says preliminary investigations indicates the driver traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes collided with a vehicle traveling eastbound. The driver traveling eastbound was pronounced dead at the scene.

First responders from Monroe Fire/EMS treated the driver of the other vehicle at the scene, who was later flown to a Des Moines hospital by helicopter. The driver of that vehicle later died. The sheriff’s office is currently investigating the collision, which is considered ongoing.

The Iowa State Patrol, Monroe Fire/EMS, Prairie City Fire/EMS, Monroe Police Department and Prairie City Police Department assisted the sheriff’s office. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office extended its condolences to the victims and their families.

Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty did not identify the drivers in the initial press release. According to crash reports from the Iowa State Patrol, the driver traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes was 79-year-old Dorothy Findlow of Monroe. Delia Vance, 46, of Pella was traveling in the eastbound lane.