Parents of man killed at Floyd intersection file claim against state, demand changes

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com 

The parents of a young man killed almost two years ago at the Floyd Avenue of the Saints intersection have filed a claim against the state in hopes of speeding up improvements at the site.

Tom and Diane Houdek of Charles City, parents of Thomas John “T.J.” Houdek, filed a wrongful death claim against the state last week, according to their attorney, David Skilton of Charles City.

T.J. Houdek was killed July 17, 2016, when his Harley-Davidson motorcycle was struck by a semi at the intersection of the Avenue of the Saints and Highway 218/county road T44.

Skilton said the claim asks for “a million dollars, more or less,” but is also aimed at pressuring the state to fix the problem.

In a statement sent to the Press, the Houdeks wrote that in recognition of the Memorial Day weekend, they want to give their son “the voice he deserves to call attention to the construction of the dangerous intersection we all know exists in Floyd, Iowa, which caused T.J.’s wrongful death.”

“We feel by filing this claim against the state, the state will expedite the removal of this dangerous intersection to warn everyone how T.J. died at this intersection and protect the public,” they wrote. “It will give him a voice to cause change and reform.”

The statement referred any further questions to their attorney, Skilton.

“It’s an unfortunate situation, but that’s a critical intersection in Floyd County that’s caused a lot of concern and public interest,” Skilton said. “They’ve had complaints about that intersection for years, and they’ve tried to do something in the budgetary process in the state of Iowa, but we don’t get priority like Des Moines.”

He said a similar intersection exists in Jasper County, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 65 and county highway F117, where there have been multiple accidents and fatalities.

At that intersection the state has put up flashing lights and warning signs advising motorists of “Multiple deaths at this intersection,” Skilton said. The state has also started constructing an overpass at that location, he said.

“It boggles the mind that in Jasper County they started constructing the new bypass after suffering through this bizarre thing, and here we are, in Floyd County, and I don’t see any progress on fixing this,” he said.

An overpass at the Floyd intersection is in the Iowa Department of Transportation five-year plan, with right-of-way purchase scheduled for 2021 and major construction scheduled for 2022.

Skilton said the Houdeks want the state to move that schedule up.

“I’m glad that we’re in the five-year plan,” he said, but he pointed to other state projects that experienced delays even after they were scheduled.

The Houdeks’ statement also asks that efforts be made to reduce speeds at the Floyd intersection.

Currently, the 65 mph limit on the Avenue of the Saints is reduced to 55 mph going by Floyd, but Skilton said motorists often ignore the speed reduction.

“I cringe every time I go through that intersection and I make sure I drop to 55, but that doesn’t mean that others do that,” Skilton said.

He said warning signs need to be put up like in Jasper County, that tell motorists this is a potentially fatal intersection.

“People are saying, well, I’m going to go 65, or they’re not understanding that this is one of these sites where there isn’t any margin for error. It is not a normal intersection,” Skilton said. “How is a driver going to know that this is one intersection that you’ve never experienced until it’s too late, unless you are warned?”

He said the Jasper County intersection is the only other one in the state like the Floyd intersection, and the Jasper County intersection “is being reconstructed and removed as we speak.”

The Houdek’s statement says, “The signs need to be posted like the Jasper County intersection of the same design and, just like in Jasper County, the state needs to replace this intersection immediately.”

Skilton said, “Diane and Tom, every day, look at that intersection and know that T.J. was sucked up in a calamity. And they believe that this is a voice for their son, to warn the public to do something, so another kid doesn’t die. They’re very, very strong about that.”