Authorities in Iowa and Missouri are investigating a devastating crash that resulted in the deaths of two teenagers following a pursuit involving a driver who had kidnapped an infant in Nebraska. The incident began when the Fremont County Sheriff's Office received a report from a woman at the Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa, detailing a domestic assault by a male acquaintance.
The woman reported that the man, described as 'suicidal and homicidal,' had kidnapped her and her child in Nebraska before dropping her off at the hospital in Iowa and fleeing with the baby. Iowa State Patrol initiated a pursuit of the suspect, who was driving at high speeds and attempting to evade troopers as he crossed state lines into Missouri on Interstate 29.
The pursuit ended tragically when the suspect's Kia Sorento collided with a Ford Focus in the northbound lanes, resulting in a chain reaction crash involving a semi-truck and a Fremont County patrol vehicle. Two 18-year-olds in the Ford Focus lost their lives in the collision, while the Kia carrying the infant caught fire.
Despite the intense flames, a brave Fremont County deputy managed to rescue the baby from the burning vehicle. The infant was airlifted to a hospital in Omaha with non-life-threatening injuries. Tragically, the suspect did not survive the crash.
Mayor Randy Pogue of Kearney, Missouri, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased teens, acknowledging the profound impact of the tragedy on the community. The deputy who was struck by the semi sustained minor injuries and has since been released from medical care.
The Missouri State Patrol is currently conducting an investigation into the collision to determine the sequence of events and factors contributing to the fatal crash.
