Rockwell Man Seriously Injured in Head-On Crash With Farm Equipment on 150th Street

ROCKWELL, Iowa — A Rockwell man was seriously injured Saturday night when his vehicle collided head-on with an agricultural mower-conditioner that had drifted into his lane near a bridge on 150th Street, according to the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to the intersection of Lark Avenue and 150th Street at 10:33 p.m. Saturday for a two-vehicle collision.

David Laubenthal, 40, of Bancroft, was driving a 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 westbound on 150th Street while pulling a trailer hauling an agricultural mower-conditioner, according to the release. As the truck crossed a bridge, the shoulder narrowed, causing the mower-conditioner to enter the eastbound lane of travel, the sheriff’s office said.

Christopher White, 37, of Rockwell, was driving a 2018 Nissan Rogue eastbound on 150th Street when his vehicle struck the mower-conditioner head-on, according to the release.

White was trapped inside his vehicle and had to be mechanically extricated by the Rockwell Fire Department, the sheriff’s office said. He was transported to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center by the Mason City Fire Department with serious injuries.

Laubenthal was not injured. He was cited for failure to yield half of the roadway.

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. The Iowa State Patrol, Rockwell Fire Department, Rockwell-Swaledale EMS and Mason City Fire Department assisted at the scene.