Connor Allen Obituary, Accident – On Monday, June 10th, 2023, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa responded to and covered two separate accidents, both unfortunate and unrelated in nature. The first incident took place on Old Hwy 20 (D-19), specifically 160th Street, located approximately 2 ½ miles East of Dike. It involved a collision between a motor vehicle and a bicyclist.
According to the report, Dennis Koch, an 89-year-old resident of Dike, was traveling westbound on Old Hwy 20 in his 2018 Jeep when he struck a bicyclist who was also traveling westbound along the roadway. The bicyclist was identified as John Keiser from Cedar Falls. Following the collision, Keiser was immediately attended to and subsequently transported to Mercy One Cedar Falls by Dike Ambulance for medical evaluation and treatment. The extent of his injuries was not specified in the report. Meanwhile, Koch, the driver of the Jeep, was cited for operating too closely to a bicyclist, indicating that he failed to maintain a safe distance between his vehicle and the cyclist.
The second accident occurred in a farm pasture located in the 22000 block of 120th Street, approximately three miles south of Parkersburg. This incident involved a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) that lost control, resulting in tragic consequences. Reports indicate that a juvenile was operating the UTV when it veered out of control, leading to a rollover. Tragically, a passenger named Connor Allen, a 17-year-old from Reinbeck, was not properly restrained and became trapped underneath the UTV during the accident. Regrettably, Allen was pronounced dead at the scene, highlighting the severity of the incident. The driver of the UTV, who was attempting to avoid colliding with a fence, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was subsequently transported to Mercy One Waterloo for medical treatment.
In response to the second accident, multiple emergency response agencies collaborated with the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office. The Parkersburg Ambulance, Parkersburg Police, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Grundy Center Ambulance, and the Iowa State Patrol all provided assistance. As of the report’s release, the investigation into the second accident remains ongoing, with authorities working diligently to determine the exact circumstances and factors that contributed to the tragic outcome.
These two accidents serve as unfortunate reminders of the importance of safety and vigilance on the roadways. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, along with the assisting agencies, plays a crucial role in responding to such incidents, providing aid to the injured, and conducting thorough investigations to establish the facts surrounding each case. By understanding the details of these incidents, the community can be more aware and proactive in promoting road safety, ultimately working towards preventing similar accidents in the future.
