Head-On Crash on County Home Road Injures Two

By Jeff Raasch, Reporter

A head-on crash happened Tuesday morning on County Home Road near Marion. (Jeff Raasch, SourceMedia Group News).

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By Katie Stinson

Story Created: Feb 14, 2012 at 10:16 AM CDT

Story Updated: Feb 14, 2012 at 6:16 PM CDT

MARION, Iowa – Two people were hurt in a head-on crash Tuesday morning on County Home Road near Marion.

A westbound pickup driven by Susan Koch, 46, of Central City, collided with an eastbound van driven by Shane Thomas, 29, of Alburnett, around 7:40 a.m., about a half-mile west of Highway 13, according to the Linn County sheriff’s office. Koch and Thomas, who were both alone in their vehicles, were hurt and taken to local hospitals, authorities said.

Sgt. Harvey Hall said icy road conditions were a factor in the crash, which shut down the highway for more than an hour.

Hall said it appeared Koch lost control and crossed the center line.

Thomas was trapped in his vehicle until firefighters could get him out. He was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. No information about his condition was being released by St. Luke’s, but authorities said his condition did not appear life-threatening.

Koch was taken to Mercy Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. She was in stable condition Tuesday afternoon, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Hall said neither vehicle was traveling normal speeds because of the slippery conditions. Drivers stopped behind the crash said traffic was moving at less than 30 mph around the time of the crash.

The highway reopened around 9:20 a.m.

Just to the west of the crash site, closer to 10th Street, a sedan slid off the road and wound up on its top. Details on that crash were not immediately available.

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