Three area men transported to hospitals after single-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Two New Hampton residents and a Charles City man were transported to area hospitals Sunday afternoon after their vehicle went out of control on Highway 18 just west of Bassett in Chickasaw County.

According to the report by the Iowa State Patrol, Emmanuel Rivera-Castro, age 29, of New Hampton, was driving a 2004 Nissan Armada SUV west on Highway 18 “at a high rate of speed,” lost control, entered the north ditch and began to roll, “shearing off a power line and coming to rest in a field.”

Rivera-Castro was transported to MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City by the MercyOne Air Med helicopter.

Other passengers, Paloma James Ortiz, age 27, of New Hampton, and Eliazar Morales, age 41, of Charles City, were transported by ground ambulance to Floyd County Memorial Hospital in Charles City.

The accident was reported a 3:17 p.m. It remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol, the report said.

Assisting at the scene were Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, Ionia Fire Department, Chickasaw County Rescue Squad, New Hampton Ambulance, AMR ambulance and MercyOne Air Med.