BADGER, IA : Man who crashed into Des Moines River released from hospital on Friday, March 24th 2017
A man who was pulled from the Des Moines River near Badger after his van crashed into the water Friday evening has been released from the hospital, according to an investigator.
Lt. Kevin Kruse of the Webster County Sheriff’s Department said Thomas Rokes, of Fort Dodge, was released from Trinity Regional Medical Center Friday night.
Rokes was the only person in a van that went into the river near 120th Street in northern Webster County.
The crash occurred at 6:50 p.m.
Kruse said Rokes was driving the van westbound on 120th Street when he lost control of the vehicle on the wet road. He said the van went off the road near the east end of the bridge that carries 120th Street over the Des Moines River, crashed through a guardrail, went down an embankment and into the river. The van came to rest in the water upright with its front end touching the east bank of the river.
Rokes got out of the car and began floating down the river.
“There were some people that attempted to grab him,” Kruse said.
He said there were people in the area that followed Rokes along the east bank of the river as he floated along, but he apparently didn’t try to get to them.
He was pulled from the water by two Fort Dodge firefighters in a small boat about 150 yards north of a boat ramp on 130th Street.
That rescue was the culmination of a coordinated effort involving firefighters from Badger, Clare and Fort Dodge, the Webster County Sheriff’s Department and paramedics from Trinity Regional Medical Center.
Badger firefighters handled much of the needed coordination. They directed other rescuers along the river banks and to the boat ramp at 130th Street. They also sent personnel to the river near 146th Street because of concerns that the man might float that far south in a fairly swift current.
Kruse said Rokes may be charged with some traffic violations in connection with the crash.
Source :
Man who crashed into Des Moines River released from hospital