One Injured in Semi/Pickup Collision Near Coggon

A semi and pickup collided head-on in a crash on Highway 13 south of Coggon on Friday morning.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says shortly after 9 am, emergency personnel were dispatched to the accident just north of Heatons Valley Road. Upon arriving, first responders discovered a pickup truck with heavy front-end damage in the west ditch, and a semi-truck and trailer with front-end damage on the shoulder. 

An investigation found that the semi driver was traveling northbound on Highway 13 when a wind shear caused him to jackknife into oncoming traffic, causing a head-on collision with the southbound pickup. 

The pickup driver, 60-year old Daniel Burlage of Marion, was trapped in his vehicle when first responders arrived and had to be extricated from his vehicle by fire crews at the scene. He was transported to Mercy Hospital with what authorities believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

The semi driver, 37-year old Bashir Chaudry of Ontario, Canada, was not hurt. 

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Linn County Rescue 57, Coggon Fire Department, Prairieburg Fire Department, Central City Fire Department, Center Point Ambulance, Iowa State Highway Patrol and Linn County Hazmat.

The crash remains under investigation by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Highway Patrol.

photo courtesy of Steve Sheppard