ANITA, IA : I-80 crash kills 2 kids, 1 coach and hurts 8 people in Iowa on Saturday, December 10th, 2016

Authorities believe snow contributed to a crash on Interstate 80 in western Iowa that killed a youth hockey coach from Nebraska and two Iowa brothers. Eight other people were also injured in the weekend crash.

A westbound semitrailer lost control and crossed into oncoming traffic about three miles west of the Anita, Iowa, exit on Saturday morning in snowy conditions. Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said the semi crashed into a minivan and continued into the ditch, but the truck’s trailer remained on I-80 and an SUV smashed into it.

“We are attributing it to weather conditions but there’s a lot we don’t know,” Ludwig said to the Des Moines Register. “Bottom line, people were traveling too fast.”

The coach that was killed, Rodney Shayne Sanborn of Papillion, Nebraska, was one of five passengers in an SUV headed for Chicago for youth hockey games. His 14-year-old son, Tyler Sanborn, was one of the eight people injured

Sanborn worked for a company that manages senior living facilities and was a longtime assistant coach with Omaha AAA Hockey Club.

“He not only worked with his team but would help out with any other team on anything that needed to be done. He gave selflessly to the program,” said Timothy Lowndes, whose sister was engaged to Sanborn.

The brothers that were killed, 14-year-old Jamison Steckler and 11-year-old Gavin Steckler, were from Audubon, Iowa. The school district plans to reschedule a choir concert that had been planned for Monday night and have counselors available this week.

“Jamison and Gavin were wonderful students, classmates and teammates who were actively involved in school athletic and music activities,” Audubon Community Schools Superintendent Brett Gibbs told the Omaha World-Herald. “The Steckler family as a whole are very involved in school, community and church activities, touching lives throughout the greater Audubon area.”

Gibbs said Jamison Steckler was in eighth grade and his brother was a fifth-grade student.

The eight people who were hurt in the crash were taken to a hospital in Atlantic, Iowa, for treatment.

Ludwig said the 31-year-old driver of the semi was driving too fast. He wasn’t hurt.

Source :
I-80 crash kills 2 kids, 1 coach and hurts 8 people in Iowa