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One injured on I-80; traffic clogs WB’s downtown
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · July 20, 2017


A crash on Interstate 80 on Friday seriously injured one man, backed up traffic for miles in both directions and led to hundreds of vehicles driving through downtown West Branch.


Several emergency responders, including West Branch Fire Department and West Branch Police Department, responded after the crash occurred just before 5 p.m. Friday at milemarker 253, about a mile west of the West Branch interchange.

Iowa State Patrol reported that Benjamin S. Cardinal, 28, of Lisbon, NH, improperly changed lanes while driving west and lost control after the front driver’s side of his 2004 Jeep Wrangler struck the rear passenger side of a 2008 GMC 2500 pickup truck driven by Cody R. Morgan, 22, of Prophetstown, Ill.

ISP reported that both vehicles lost traction, though Morgan was able to regain control and safely stop on the shoulder.

Cardinal’s Jeep, however, entered the median and flipped, ejecting Cardinal through the roof. The Jeep then ended up on its top in the eastbound lanes of traffic, read the report.

Cardinal was not wearing a seat belt, read the report, and received serious injuries, prompting emergency officials to call for AirCare to fly him from the scene to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Cardinal was cited for improper use of lanes.

His Jeep sustained an estimated more than $10,000 in damage and was listed as “totaled” in the ISP report.

Morgan received no injuries, according to the ISP, and his pickup received about $3,500 in damage. He had been wearing his seat belt, read the report.

Johnson County Ambulance Service and Johnson County Sheriff’s Department also responded to the scene.

WBPD Chief Mike Horihan mentioned the crash at Monday’s West Branch City Council meeting, stating that it took until sometime between 7:30 and 8 p.m. to clear the roads.

Council member Mary Beth Stevenson said she was stuck for an hour in the I-80 traffic.

“It was nose-to-bumper to Sharpless,” council member Colton Miller said of when he passed the scene.

Council member Jordan Ellyson said the traffic backed up to Dodge Street.

Horihan said he would prefer to see motorists reroute through Highway 6, but suspects those using mapping applications, whether by phone or subscription services, see West Branch as the nearest route.

Horihan said he and Ofc. Wes Homeister responded to the crash and saw the fire department do a “fantastic job” sorting out the scene.

He noted that one firefighter was bitten by a dog during the rescue and that dog had to be “put down.”

“It’s been really bad for like a week on I-80,” Ellyson added, alluding to at least three accidents — one fatal — in a five-mile stretch in the West Branch area.