Crystal Offerman dies in fatal Benton County car crash
Fatal Benton County car crash death of Crystal Offerman
A young mother from Vinton lost her life in a serious multi-car collision involving a school bus on Friday afternoon in Benton County, Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reported the incident occurred just before 1:45 p.m. along Highway 218 near 61st Street. A Jeep had stopped on the highway to complete a turn when it was rear-ended by a large school bus. The force of the impact caused the Jeep to be pushed into the intersection, where it was struck by a sport utility vehicle.
Crystal Offerman, a 37-year-old resident of Vinton, was operating the Jeep at the time of the accident. Paramedics pronounced her death at the scene after she was taken to the University of Iowa hospital. An investigation revealed Ms. Offerman was not wearing her seatbelt during the collision.
The school bus, from the Vinton Shellsburg School District, was being driven by a teacher who was transporting children to school activities. All occupants on the bus remained safe. The driver of the SUV involved in the collision suffered minor injuries and was able to leave the scene quickly.
The tragic accident was the only fatality reported on Friday in the region. Law enforcement stated there were no signs of impairment involved in the initial rear-end collision. The state patrol is continuing to gather information about the chain of events leading to the deadly intersection crash.
