CEDAR COUNTY, Iowa — Steven Michael Dolezal, a 71-year-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa, man, tragically lost his life Feb. 16 in a collision on Interstate 80.
State troopers believe that a westbound semi-truck broke through the cable barrier in the highway median at about 9:20 a.m. and crossed into eastbound traffic, where it struck a 2020 Ford F-150 head-on.
Dolezal, the driver of the F-150, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Emergency personnel transported a passenger in the F-150 and the semi driver to Genesis Medical Center in Davenport for treatment of injuries.
Officials said that everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seatbelt when it occurred.
An investigation into the collision is ongoing. No additional information was immediately available.
Thoughts on the Fatal Semi-Accident in Cedar County, Iowa
The details surrounding this accident raise several serious questions that need to be investigated before the Dolezal family finds the answers they deserve. The most pressing question concerns the erratic acts of the semi-driver.
Authorities believe the semi-driver crossed the central median, broke a cable barrier, and entered eastbound traffic before crashing head-on with Mr. Dolezal’s Ford F-150. What caused this blatant act of negligence? The most probable basis of such behavior is distracted, fatigued, or impaired driving. In addition to questioning the driver directly, trained professionals will undoubtedly examine driving records, toxicology reports, and electronic devices to determine the driver’s culpability in this tragic death.
A less probable basis, yet one we have dealt with repeatedly in similar situations, concerns factors outside the trucker’s control that could have led to a loss of control. These bases include mechanical failure, tire failure, or medical emergency–among other less common scenarios. In addition to driver culpability, we must examine these additional scenarios to ensure all parties involved account to the Dolezal family.
I want to extend my deepest condolences to the Dolezal family during this time. Losing a loved one unexpectedly to another’s negligence is a pain no one should have to bear.
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