Two people have died and three others were seriously injured in a three-vehicle accident yesterday (Sunday) at approximately 11:40 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 39 and Vernon Voss Road north of Denison. When the Iowa State Patrol arrived at the scene, a 2003 Chevrolet S-10, driven by 43-year-old Fred Edward Hall of Denison was in the southbound lane facing south. There was a 2002 Volkswagen Beetle, driven by 22-year-old Robbie Reed McMullen of Denison on its top facing south on the northbound shoulder. There was also a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser, driven by 62-year-old Dawn Ranae Jessen of Denison in the east ditch facing south. An initial investigation revealed that the Jessen vehicle was northbound on Highway 39 when the VW approached from behind at a high rate of speed. The Hall truck was southbound on Highway 39 when McMullen attempted to pass on the left side of the Jessen vehicle. Hall swerved onto the west shoulder as did McMullen, and then the Hall vehicle swerved back into the southbound lanes. McMullen swerved back to the right, losing control and going sideways. The left front of the Hall pickup struck the left driver’s side door of the McMullen vehicle, which then sideswiped the Jessen cruiser. The PT cruiser was forced into a spin and ended up in the east ditch. The McMullen Volkswagen rolled, coming to rest on its top. A passenger in the Volkswagen, 19-year-old Emiliano Fernando Ramos of Denison was ejected from the rear seat, landing in the northbound lane. He was transported by Crawford County Ambulance to Crawford County Memorial Hospital, where he later died. Another passenger in the Beetle, 19-year-old Luis Enrique Mendez of Denison, McMullen, Hall and Jessen were all extracted from their vehicles by mechanical means. Mendez, Hall and Jessen were all transported to Crawford County Hospital by ambulance and later transferred to an Omaha hospital for treatment of serious injuries. McMullen was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident remains under investigation. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Denison Police Department and Denison Fire and Rescue also assisted with the accident.
