- Community First Broadcasting Staff Photo
Storm Lake, Iowa (KAYL) — The fatal July collision in the Storm Lake Walmart parking lot — a case that’s ignited widespread social-media outrage — won’t result in criminal charges.
Investigators concluded the driver committed no crime under Iowa law, according to the Buena Vista County Attorney’s Office.
The case has drawn intense online attention, with posts circulating misinformation, anger, and racially charged commentary about the driver.
The Buena Vista County Attorney’s Office announced Monday that its review of the Storm Lake Police Department investigation found insufficient evidence to prove any criminal offense in the death of 84‑year‑old Larry Spiess of Alta.
Emergency crews were called to Walmart on North Lake Avenue just after 9:30 a.m. on July 23rd, when bystanders reported Spiess had been struck by a pickup near the store’s north entrance. He was taken to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center and later transferred to a trauma facility, where he died from his injuries.
Police gathered witness statements, accident-reconstruction data, and extensive parking-lot video. Investigators determined Spiess had been walking in the eastern portion of the lot when he was hit by a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 49‑year‑old Valentin Ventura‑Mora of Storm Lake. According to the county attorney’s review, Ventura‑Mora was using his phone in a hands‑free manner allowed under Iowa law and showed no signs of impairment or reckless driving.
County Attorney Paul Allen says the evidence does not meet the legal threshold for criminal prosecution. He also noted that many Iowa traffic laws do not apply on private property, meaning certain violations cannot be charged in a parking-lot setting.
Allen emphasized that the charging decision addresses only whether a crime can be proven under Iowa law. It does not determine civil liability and does not diminish the seriousness of the loss for Spiess’s family. The county attorney’s office is urging residents to use caution in parking lots and other areas where pedestrians and vehicles mix.
