Name Released in Fatal Buchanan County Grain Bin Accident

Authorities have released the name of the man who died in a grain bin accident in Buchanan County last week.

The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office says 67-year old Jerry Lee Kopf of Independence died at the scene.

Deputies and Winthrop firefighters found Kopf in a grain dryer at his farm in the 1600 block of Nathan Bethel Avenue northeast of Independence last Wednesday afternoon. His wife had called 911 to report that she couldn’t find him, with video surveillance on site showing that he had gone up into the grain dryer. The initial investigation says it appears Kopf became trapped under corn in the dryer and was not able to free himself. 

The incident remains under investigation.

It was one of two fatal grain bin accidents in Iowa last week.