Man injured, charged in Avenue of the Saints rollover accident near Floyd

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A southeast Iowa man sustained minor injuries in a rollover crash Tuesday morning on the Avenue of the Saints near Floyd.

According to an Iowa State Patrol report, Dana Cochran, age 49, of Clinton, was driving a 2017 Ford Focus and fell asleep while driving, colliding with a rear of a semi tractor-trailer being driven by Paul French, age 47, of Grove, Texas.

Cochran lost control of his vehicle and it entered the median, rolling over and coming to rest on its top. The accident occurred a little before 7 a.m. at mile marker 210 on Highway 218.

The Floyd Fire Department and AMR ambulance in Charles City responded to the scene, but Cochran refused to be transported. The report said he received minor injuries and credited the use of his seatbelt with saving his life.

Cochran was charged with failure to maintain control, according to a spokesperson at the Mason City district office of the Iowa Highway Patrol.

Also assisting at the scene was the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.