Rutland woman seriously injured in Sunday accident
Two people were injured in a Sunday afternoon accident south of Rutland, one of them seriously.
According to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), they were alerted to a two-vehicle accident with personal injuries on Iowa Avenue (County Road P-33, 1.5 miles south of Rutland. The accident occurred on Sunday, Aug. 7, at 4:27 p.m.
According to the report, a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Paxton L. Vanderhoff, 28, of Rutland, was southbound on Iowa Avenue and was attempting to negotiate an eastbound curve. A second vehicle driven by William R. Rowe, 59, of Fort Dodge, was northbound and had negotiated a westbound curve and was traveling west at the time of the accident. Rowe was driving a 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 pickup.
Vanderhoff was reportedly distracted by in-car climate control and was not able to negotiate the curve and crossed the center line, traveling east into the path of Rowe’s truck. The two vehicles collided head-on, causing extensive damage to both.
Vanderhoff was transported to Humboldt County Memorial Hospital (HCMH) by hospital ambulance and was later transferred to a Des Moines Hospital for treatment of suspected serious/incapacitating injuries. She remains hospitalized, being treated for a broken hip bone.
It was reported that Vanderhoff was not wearing occupant protection at the time of the accident. Both front seat airbags deployed at the time of the collision.
Rowe was wearing a shoulder and lap belt. Both front airbags also deployed in his vehicle. He sustained suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries and was transported to HCMH by hospital ambulance.
There was an estimated $12,000 severe damage to Vanderhoff’s 2019 Chevrolet sport utility vehicle. There was an estimated $20,000 severe damage to Rowe’s 2021 GMC pickup.
Vanderhoff was charged with driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway.