Charles City firefighter dies from injuries in August motorcycle accident

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City firefighter who was involved in a motorcycle accident Aug. 24 has died as a result of injuries received in the accident.

The Iowa State Patrol reported that John Carpenter, age 34, was driving a 2016 Harley-Davidson motorcycle with his wife, Ashley Carpenter, age 32, as a passenger when he lost control while negotiating a left curve near the intersection of West Main Street and East Commercial St. in Mitchell.

Both of them were seriously injured in the accident, the report said.

John Carpenter was initially transferred by Mercy AirMed helicopter to MercyOne-North Iowa in Mason City, then transferred to St. Marys Hospital of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Carpenter was a volunteer firefighter with the Charles City Fire Department, and the department listed on its Facebook page Tuesday that Carpenter had died.

“The CCFD family mourns the death of one of our own, Firefighter John Carpenter. … Despite a valiant fight, John succumbed to his injuries Monday,” the post said.

“John was hired as a CCFD Firefighter on October 16th, 2017. We want to extend our heartfelt sympathies to John’s family and friends in this very difficult time,” the post said.

Ashley Carpenter was initially transported by ground ambulance to Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage, then also transferred to the Rochester hospital.