Nine people died in an early morning accident on Interstate 80, about 40 miles west of Des Moines. The wreck happened at about 2:30 this morning. Patrolmen say a vehicle carrying nine crossed the median and collided head-on with a semi. The semi driver was injured but is expected to recover. The Patrol says they believe the vehicle was a pick-up, but it’s hard to tell because of the extensive damage. It had Colorado plates. The nine people who died were in that pick-up. All nine her Hispanic, and authorities suspect the trip may have been part of an effort to smuggle illegal aliens into the country. A section of I-80 near the Menlo/Greenfield exit was closed ’til mid-morning and traffic was rerouted through the area.
