POLK COUNTY, Iowa — One person is dead and another is in critical condition following a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 Wednesday night.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the incident around 10:45 p.m. near Mile Marker 133.8 on eastbound I-80. Authorities closed two eastbound lanes and advised motorists to avoid the area.
Upon arrival, deputies found that both occupants had been ejected from the vehicle. An adult woman was pronounced dead at the scene. An adult man was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. Authorities have not released the names of those involved as they are working to notify family members. No additional information is currently available.
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, 44 people have died on Iowa roads this year, six more than at the same time in 2022. Over the past five years, an average of 337 people have been killed in statewide crashes annually.