Authorities in southwestern Iowa’s Montgomery County say speed may have been a factor in Monday’s fiery crash that killed a Red Oak woman and injured two men.
According to sheriff’s officials, a pickup driven by 41-year old Mathew Wayne Westover, of Red Oak, was headed west on 230th Street toward the intersection with “K” Avenue, when the vehicle crossed a bridge that had a slight rise. After crossing the bridge, the truck lost traction and went out of control. It entered a ditch and struck a large tree nearly head-on and burst into flames.
Westover and another man, 27-year old Kim Jack Douglas Trost, of Red Oak, were ejected from the pickup. 42-year old Teresa Jane Larson, of Red Oak, is presumed to have died upon impact. Her body was found in the burned out cab of the truck after the flames were extinguished. Westover was taken to the local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, while Trost suffered critical injuries, and was transported by air ambulance to an Omaha hospital.