BREAKING: Victim identified in Tuesday accident
A Life Flight helicopter leaves the scene of an accident at the Highway 169 and Bode/Livermore corner late Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 21. The accident involving a car and semi tractor pulling a grain trailer claimed one fatality. Independent photo by Phil Monson.
A two-vehicle accident on Highway 169 Tuesday, Aug. 21, has claimed the life of an Algona woman.
Yessi S. Collazo, 28, of Algona, died from injuries sustained when the 2016 Ford Mustang she was riding in, collided with a 2005 International tractor-trailer on Highway 169, nine miles north of Humboldt at the intersection with Humboldt County Road C-20. The accident occurred at 3:38 p.m.
According to the Iowa State Patrol (ISP), who investigated the accident, the Ford Mustang, driven by Yorday L. Perdomo, 38, of Algona, was southbound on Highway 169.
The International tractor-trailer, driven by Jerry J. Metzger, 63, of Whittemore, was northbound on Highway 169 and was attempting to turn west onto C-20, when contact was made with the Ford Mustang.
Perdomo was extricated by mechanical means. Highway 169 was closed to traffic in both directions from the accident with traffic routed on County Roads C-12 and C-26. LifeFlight helicopter from UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center, made a two-point landing on the highway, close to the accident scene, to medevac Perdomo to Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, with serious/incapacitating injuries. Collazo was pronounced dead at the scene.
Metzger reported possible pain/injury and was transported by ground ambulance to UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine — Humboldt, for treatment.
According to the report, Metzger and Collazo were using shoulder and lap belts. Perdomo was not.
Both driver side and passenger side airbags were deployed on the Mustang.
Alcohol tests were administered to both drivers. Urine or blood tests were administered to determine the presence of drugs. The vision of neither driver was obscured, and neither driver was distracted, according to the report.
Weather conditions were sunny and the road condition clear at the time of the accident.
Metzger was hauling for Max Yield Cooperative in West Bend. The grain trailer had gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more.
Both vehicles were totaled in the accident, with damage in excess of $20,000 to each.
The highway was closed to traffic Tuesday for more than an hour and law enforcement authorities remained on the scene until the early evening hours on Tuesday.
The ISP was assisted at the scene by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt Fire and Rescue Department, Humboldt County EMS, Humboldt County Memorial Hospital Ambulance, Humboldt County Medical Examiner, Bode Fire Department and UnityPoint – Trinity Regional Medical Center LifeFlight.
The accident remains under investigation.
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