Hartley, Iowa — A southwest Iowa man has died as the result of an accident near Hartley.
According to the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, they received a call on Tuesday, August 11th, 2020 about 11:10 p.m. The caller reported that a vehicle had driven through the “Road Closed” signs on eastbound on Highway 18 and into the bridge construction a mile west of Hartley, and had started on fire.
Officers responded to the scene and discovered a grey 2003 Buick Century. The driver was identified as 67-year-old Robert Elwood Crotsley of Underwood, Iowa (near Council Bluffs). They determined that Crotsley had indeed driven through the “Road Closed” sign and fencing used to block the 6400 mile of Highway 18 due to bridge construction. Deputies believe he continued eastbound where the vehicle struck a flatbed trailer registered to Christensen Brothers Inc. of Cherokee. Deputies say the vehicle continued 108 feet after impact and came to rest in the middle of Highway 18.
Crotsley was pronounced dead at the scene by the O’Brien County Medical Examiner. The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office reports that the Iowa State Patrol, Hartley Police Department, Hartley Fire Department, Hartley Ambulance Squad, and the Sutherland Police Department assisted with the response to the accident.
