Sheriff is Investigating Several Winter Traffic Accidents

The Fayette County Sheriff notes that they responded to several accidents involving vehicles that slid into ditches in rural parts of the county.

The first one happened at about 3:30pm Thursday (Feb. 11), when a pickup driven by 43 year old Kyley Bathke of Wadena, went out of control and entered a ditch, in the 16,000 block of Fox Road, west of Wadena. No injuries were reported.

About an hour later, deputies were called to the report of a vehicle in the ditch near the area of "N" Avenue and Highway 3, east of Oelwein. A pickup driven by 67 year old Brad Mackenzie of Elgin, was eastbound when he lost control and went into the ditch. The pickup and U-Haul trailer sustained minor damage and no one was injured.

Just few minutes later, deputies were called to a car that went into the ditch on Highway 3 and Palace Road, just east of Oelwein. A car driven by 42 year old Shana Bergmann of Oelwein, was southbound when it left the road. There were no injuries and no damage.

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At approximately 6pm Thursday, officers were called to an accident near the intersection of Highway 93 and "O" Avenue, west of the city of Fayette. An SUV driven by 34 year old Jamie Pagel of Sumner, went out of control and slid into the ditch. There were no injuries.

On Friday, at about 4pm, the sheriff responded to a rollover accident near the area of "X" Avenue and 200th Street, west of Hawkeye. 43 year old Carrie Christy of Montezuma lost control of her car, entered a ditch, and rolled onto it's top. There were no injuries, but the 2007 Buick was totaled.

And at about 3:15pm Sunday, 43 year old Jonathan Hawk of Waterloo put his SUV into the ditch, near the 24,000 block of Highway 93. Hawk was charged with Failure to Maintain Control, Operating While Intoxicated-2nd Offense, and driving without a required interlock device. Hawk was held in jail until his court appearance.
All of the accidents remain under investigation.

The sheriff also reports that deputies arrested 31 year old Raquel Bowser of Hazleton early Sunday morning, on a warrant for a probation violation. She was held in the Fayette County jail on $5,000 bond. The incident is still under investigation, and more charges could be filed.