Driver Charged in 5 Vehicle Accident

An Illinois man is being charged with causing a 5-vehicle accident in eastern Iowa Thursday (Aug. 17) afternoon.

It happened at about 4:30pm at the intersection of Highway 13 and Martin Creek Road near Marion.

A car driven by 42 year old Steven Thomas Junior of Springfield, Illinois, rear ended a stopped pickup driven by 38 year old Andy Ries of Lowden. The pickup was pushed into the back of a stopped car driven by 20 year old Mackenna Scofield of Lisbon. Scofield's car was then pushed into oncoming traffic, colliding with a car driven by 36 year old Michael Milam of Cedar Rapids. His car then struck a Semi driven by 62 year old Randy Otterbein of Sumner.

Thomas and Milam were the only ones injured; they were treated at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids.

Thomas is charged with Failure to Stop in an Assured Clear Distance.