Ireton, Iowa — The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office has released more information in regards to the discovery of a body found inside a burning vehicle near Ireton Friday night.
Sioux County Sheriff Dan Altena has identified the victim as 78-year-old Rudolph Martinez, of Hawarden. Altena says further investigation was able to determine that Martinez most likely had a medical incident, which caused him to leave the roadway upon which he was travelling. Martinez’ vehicle came to a stop in a cornfield, which had been chopped. Altena says the field, and ultimately the vehicle, started on fire with Martinez still inside.
Altena says that, at this time, no foul play is suspected.
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Original post 2:04pm, Saturday, October 3, 2020
Ireton, Iowa — Sioux County authorities are investigating the discovery of a body inside a burning vehicle near Ireton Friday night.
According to the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, their deputies were summoned to a cornfield one and one-half miles north of Ireton shortly before 9:00 Friday night, to a report of a vehicle on fire one-quarter mile into a cornfield. Officials say deputies discovered a 2007 Jeep Commander fully engulfed by fire, and the body of a person was discovered inside the Jeep. The victim was pronounced deceased by the Sioux County Medical Examiner.
Sioux County authorities say the body was removed from the vehicle and transported to the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, where an autopsy will be performed.
Deputies say the name of the deceased is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of relatives.
The incident remains under investigation by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Ireton Ambulance and Ireton Fire Department.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
