OSAGE, IA — Two people were killed and one woman was injured Friday afternoon in a head-on crash near Kirkwood Avenue and 440th Street in Osage, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Authorities said the collision happened just after 4 p.m. and involved two vehicles traveling in opposite directions on Kirkwood Avenue. The injured woman was flown to Mayo Clinic for treatment.
The crash remains under investigation, and the Iowa State Patrol has not yet said why the vehicles struck each other.
Crash happened just after 4 p.m. on a Mitchell County road
The collision took place near the intersection of Kirkwood Avenue and 440th Street in Mitchell County, just outside the city of Osage. Emergency crews responded after the vehicles hit head-on on Friday afternoon.
The Iowa State Patrol said the vehicles crashed for reasons that remain unknown. Officials have not released additional details about road conditions, visibility, or whether any other factors may have played a role.
With the investigation still active, no determination has been made about fault or the sequence of events leading to the impact.
Who was driving each vehicle at the time of the collision
Investigators identified the driver of the southbound vehicle as Stephnie Lyons, 56, of Rochester. The northbound vehicle was driven by Charles Yoders, 71, of Stacyville.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, the two vehicles collided head-on at the same location. The agency has not said whether either driver attempted to avoid the crash before impact.
Both drivers were traveling on Kirkwood Avenue when the crash occurred, and officials have not released any further information about the vehicles themselves.
One driver was wearing a seat belt, the other was not
The Iowa State Patrol said Yoders was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, while Lyons was buckled up. Investigators have not said whether the seat belt use affected the severity of the injuries or deaths.
Seat belt use is often examined in serious crashes, but the patrol has not drawn any conclusions in this case. The agency has only confirmed the restraint status of the two drivers.
No other safety equipment or protective measures were mentioned in connection with the wreck.
Yvonne Yoders was flown to Mayo Clinic after being hurt
Yvonne Yoders, 71, of Stacyville, was injured in the crash and transported by air to Mayo Clinic for care. Authorities did not say how she was related to Charles Yoders, though they share the same surname and hometown.
Officials have not described the extent of her injuries, and no update on her condition was included in the initial response. The decision to airlift her suggests responders considered the injuries serious enough to require rapid hospital treatment.
As of the latest information, the hospital has not released additional details about her condition.
Iowa State Patrol continues to investigate what caused the head-on collision
The Iowa State Patrol is leading the investigation and has said only that the cause of the crash is still unknown. No citations, charges, or other enforcement actions have been announced.
Serious traffic crashes in rural areas often prompt investigators to examine speed, lane position, road conditions, and driver actions, but officials have not identified any of those factors here. The patrol has not said when it expects to finish its review.
For now, the focus remains on the deadly collision itself and on the injured woman’s treatment at Mayo Clinic.
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