(Franklin, County) Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash in Franklin County.
The Iowa State Patrol reported that the accident occurred on Friday evening on Interstate 35 near the 162-mile marker. Authorities identified the victims as 62-year-old James Coombes from Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, and 26-year-old Jacob Hernandez from Mankato, Minnesota.
According to the report, Coombes, driving a southbound 2015 Buick Encore, struck a deer and then pulled into the right lane, where he was rear-ended by a southbound 2013 Kia driven by Hernandez. The Buick came to rest in the median, while the Kia stopped in the right lane. The Iowa State Patrol stated that both drivers, Coombes and Hernandez, along with a passenger, suffered serious injuries.
