Man Faces Charges After Crashing into Several Cars at Elementary School

By Christy Aumer, Reporter

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By Liz Blood

Story Created: Mar 15, 2013 at 12:21 PM CDT

Story Updated: Mar 15, 2013 at 2:51 PM CDT

TIPTON, Iowa - A 21-year-old man faces several charges, and could face additional charges, after officials said he plowed into around 10 vehicles causing about $100,000 worth of damage in an elementary school parking lot Tuesday evening.

Police said around 7:30 p.m. Leam Tank, of Lowden, was traveling westbound on Sixth Street when he passed out, and a woman in the passenger’s seat tried to steer for him. The vehicle crashed into around 10 vehicles causing a range of property damage, authorities said.

“We’re still trying to determine if he was, one: passed out, and two: how that occurred,” Tipton Police Chief Heath Holub said. “It’s still under investigation.”

Chief Holub said Tank was transported to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries, but was unsure of the passenger’s condition. No one else was injured.

Tank could face charges of driving while suspended, no insurance, failure to maintain control and operation without owner’s consent. He remains in the Cedar County Jail. Chief Holub said there is a possibility of additional charges.

Chief Holub said it was good the incident didn’t happen 20 minutes earlier. “People were arriving at an event at the school; we could've had a bigger problem,” Holub said.