I-80 Walcott accident update

The driver of a semi whose wheels fell off on I-80 and struck a woman’s vehicle earlier this month near Walcott has been located by authorities.

According to Iowa State Patrol, it happened Feb. 7 shortly before 7:30 a.m. in the area of mile marker 287 near the I-80 Truck Stop.

Sarah Pender was on her way to work traveling on westbound I-80 when all of a sudden a set of tires came flying off a semi in front of her, striking her vehicle and sending her airborne, rolling multiple times, before finally coming to a rest upside down in the median.

Sarah survived the crash but her car was totaled and she spent  days in the hospital.

Police said the semi and trailer were found in Coralville last week after it made its delivery in Cedar Rapids.

After a week-long investigation and interview of the driver, police do not believe he was aware of the wheels coming off the rear of the trailer.

Police say the driver was ‘very cooperative’ and gave them ‘all the information that was requested’ and will not be charged. Sarah said,

“I would like to thank the people that stopped to help me before emergency personnel arrived on the scene. You didn’t have to pause your day, take off your coats, and stay with me but you did and I thank you. To the first responders making calls for me and the officers that took their jackets off on that cold scary morning to warm me, I thank you. I am incredibly humbled by the outpouring of support, prayers, and help from the community. I will never forget each of you that helped me that morning and can’t thank everyone enough”