Exclusive: Iowa trooper crash investigation details remain secret

John Morrissey, a contract author in Des Moines, follows up on his protection of a deadly accident final 12 months.

Greater than 9 months after the crash that killed on-duty Iowa State Trooper Ted Benda, the Iowa Division of Public Security has nothing extra to say about the reason for his loss of life, or its implications. The division’s technical investigation is classed as confidential.

The preliminary public incident report appears to attribute the accident to the trooper’s driving habits. That was possible a contributing issue, however was it the only trigger?

The five-month technical investigation into this crash could or could not have thought of a poor headlight ranking, or greater than common driver loss of life charges for the car concerned, as contributing components. It is unclear as a result of the technical investigation report will stay secret until it’s sought as a part of a number of exceptions to state legislation, none of which permit public evaluate.

In response to Bleeding Heartland’s inquiries, the division provided no rationalization of steps it might need taken since Benda’s loss of life to cut back future dangers, similar to testing the headlight purpose of its Dodge Chargers, or reviewing the crash statistics for its workhorse patrol car, and even offering a “do not veer for deer” reminder to troopers.

“WE MUST REMAIN COLLECTIVELY FOCUSED ON OFFICER SAFETY”

A ceremony on the state capitol on Might 6 honored two Iowa State Patrol officers killed whereas on obligation: Trooper Benda, and Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Ok. Smith. (A 27-year veteran of the patrol, Smith was gunned down throughout an April 2021 stand-off in Grundy County. Michael Lang was convicted of the homicide in Might and sentenced to life in jail final month.)

The names of Ted Benda and Jim Ok. Smith have been inscribed within the Iowa Peace Officer Memorial

A contingent of uniformed state troopers, two lessons of legislation enforcement cadets, an honor guard, households of the 2 officers, and members of the general public attended the ceremony.

“During the last fourteen months, and in latest weeks, we have skilled a degree of problem and heartbreak that compels us to pause and mirror,” mentioned Iowa Division of Public Security Commissioner Stephan Bayens in his remarks. He added,

These names that encircle us, etched in granite, function a perpetual reminder that there’s a group of courageous women and men who’re prepared to face within the hole between order and chaos; who’re prepared to guard probably the most weak amongst us; who stand prepared to increase compassion throughout the darkest of days; who’re compelled by a way of obligation to guard and serve.

The bodily and emotional stress of our duties weigh closely. And due to that heavy burden, we should stay collectively centered on officer security and well-being. We should stay steadfast in offering the help to legislation enforcement that they deserve in order to protect the bodily and psychological well being of those that serve.

Trooper Benda and Sergeant Smith have been additionally honored at a ceremony in Might on the Nationwide Legislation Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC.

PUBLIC AND SECRET REPORTS

The preliminary incident report, referred to as the MARS Public Data Launch Report, was filed on October 15, and amended to mirror Trooper Benda’s loss of life 5 days later. The technical investigation was accomplished on March 16 and its findings have been reviewed by the technical investigations employees and supervision, based on Sgt. Alex Dinkla, the Iowa State Patrol’s public info officer.

“I’ll remind you once more that beneath statute 321.271, the technical crash report is taken into account an investigative report and isn’t an open document,” wrote Dinkla in response to Bleeding Heartland’s questions in regards to the accident investigation findings.

Iowa legislation gives that the general public could not evaluate such investigative studies, though the drivers concerned in a crash, legislation enforcement customers, insurance coverage corporations, and attorneys concerned with litigation arising from a crash could entry the data.

The findings hidden from public view on this occasion embody:

• how briskly the car was shifting on the time of the crash;
• whether or not the car’s crash construction failed in an surprising or unreasonable method as the results of affect;
• whether or not the headlighting system might need contributed to the crash; and
• whether or not the state was conscious of sure security efficiency statistics with the Dodge Chargers it purchases for Iowa State Patrol use.

ELEVATED DRIVER DEATH RATES, POOR-PERFORMING HEADLIGHTS

Trooper Benda was critically injured when he stumbled on deer within the highway and misplaced management of his 2019 Dodge Charger cruiser whereas responding to a name for help from a Clayton County sheriff’s deputy. His car veered off Iowa Freeway 51 and crashed within the ditch. He was discovered by a passing motorist and airlifted to a hospital in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, the place he died six days later.

Based on the 2019 Dodge Charger proprietor’s handbook, the car has a full complement of passenger security tools, similar to entrance lap and shoulder belts, entrance passenger airbags, entrance passenger knee affect bolsters, a supplemental driver knee air bag, supplemental seat-mounted facet air baggage, and supplemental facet air bag inflatable curtains.

The Dodge Charger ranks on the high degree for crashworthiness attributes for roof power, facet affect, average overlap crashes and seat and head restraints as examined by the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS). Regardless of these excessive marks, the motive force loss of life charge for this car is worrisome, based on one other IIHS research.

Driver fatality information collected and revealed by the IIHS exhibits that Dodge Chargers have a better than common charge of driver fatalities as in comparison with greater than 150 fashions reviewed. The statistics, which cowl 2014 by means of 2017, present that the two-wheel drive Dodge Charger had 62 driver deaths per million car registration years (with a 95 % confidence interval of ± 21.) IIHS discovered the common driver loss of life charge for all automobiles of that classic was 36 driver deaths per million car registration years, with a confidence interval of between 34 and 37 deaths per million car registration years.

Though broadly utilized by U.S. legislation enforcement companies, the Dodge Charger isn’t the one police car accessible. SUV fashions favored by some departments have higher driver fatality scores, based on IIHS information. For the 2014 to 2017 evaluate interval, the Dodge Durango has a driver loss of life charge of 11 per million car registration years (± 17), the Chevrolet Tahoe has a charge of 28 per million (± 23), and the Ford Explorer 33 per million (± 11).

For single car and rollover crashes, the 2017 Dodge Charger has a driver loss of life charge thrice as excessive as common, based on the IIHS. Single car driver deaths are 13 per million for all automobiles vs 39 per million for the Charger. Total driver deaths in roll-over crashes are almost as disparate, with 5 deaths per million for all fashions vs 13 per million for the Dodge Charger.

Dinkla declined to reply a written query about whether or not the technical investigator was conscious of those statistics or thought of them as a part of the inquiry.

Bleeding Heartland reported final 12 months on IIHS findings that late mannequin Dodge Chargers, together with fashions used as police automobiles by the Iowa State Patrol and plenty of different legislation enforcement companies throughout the nation, have poor-performing headlights for each the high and low beam settings. That ranking stemmed from 5 standardized exams used to guage automobiles’ headlight attain: ahead visibility on straightaways, in addition to visibility for 800-foot and 500-foot radius turns to the left and proper.

Requested earlier this 12 months in regards to the IIHS analysis on Dodge Charger headlights and whether or not which may have contributed to the deadly crash, Dinkla mentioned the division had not acquired any complaints from troopers about their patrol automobiles’ headlights.

WHAT HAPPENED, AND WHO KNOWS?

The Iowa Division of Public Security’s public statements level to a curious lack of urgency or dedication to parse out what contributed to Trooper Benda’s loss of life.

“We should do all the things in our energy to forestall etching even a single title onto these partitions,” Commissioner Bayens mentioned in his Might 6 remarks on the Iowa Peace Officer Memorial. He didn’t reply to a written request for remark in regards to the Benda matter.

The Iowa labor commissioner’s duties embody investigating on-the-job deaths. However the Iowa Workforce Growth company, which homes the state Division of Labor, informed Bleeding Heartland that it doesn’t examine deadly automotive crashes, and closed an inquiry in regards to the matter.

State Medical Examiner Dennis Klein dominated the officer died as the results of “issues of blunt drive accidents of head and neck” suffered within the accident. “The accidents weren’t outdoors the spectrum of accidents we see in vehicle accidents,” he wrote in an electronic mail.

Iowa Division of Transportation District Engineer Jon Ranney mentioned his workplace has reviewed the crash report and finds no actionable findings for the Freeway 51 roadway. “Based mostly on the random variability of this fashion of crash, we don’t anticipate to make any extra modifications or enhancements,” he wrote in an electronic mail. A evaluate of 5 years of crash information between 2016 and 2020 exhibits 4 crashes occurred alongside Freeway 51, all of them animal-related.

BLAMING DRIVER BEHAVIORS FOR HIGHWAY FATALITIES

The Iowa Division of Public Security participates with a years lengthy effort to cut back site visitors fatalities, which additionally includes the Iowa Division of Transportation, Iowa Division of Public Well being, and Iowa Insurance coverage Division. Greater than 1,800 Iowans have been killed on the state’s roadways since 2017, and roadway deaths up to now this 12 months are working forward of earlier years presently. “Zero Fatalities” goals to eradicate all freeway deaths finally, however its short-term aim is to cut back the carnage to fewer than 300 freeway crash deaths in Iowa every year.

The intiative’s web site claims that “94 % of crashes are brought on by human error.” One other web page dials that estimate again to 90 %. “Realizing what driving behaviors want to alter is a precursor to with the ability to lower fatalities and main accidents on Iowa’s roadways,” the web site states.

The web site identifies the 5 commonest driver behaviors related to roadway deaths, mentioned Tracey Bramble of Iowa Zero Fatalities. She mentioned it is uncommon {that a} crash has only one trigger. The web site is designed to spotlight the motive force behaviors that usually result in fatalities, primarily based on analysis by the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration.

“The ‘Zero Fatalities’ Marketing campaign is owned and operated by the Iowa Division of Transportation,” Dinkla wrote. “I can’t converse to their percentages [of driver behavoir resulting in crashes] as they obtain EVERY crash report that’s filed within the state of Iowa.”

HUMAN ERROR, AND WHAT ELSE?

The general public info crash report about Benda’s deadly accident cites no supplemental or contributory causes, past the narrative description that the motive force misplaced management after taking “evasive motion to keep away from putting a deer which had entered the roadway.” The “Iowa Zero Fatalities” web site reminds drivers to not swerve for deer.

“The MARS report has already acknowledged that Trooper Benda was touring over the posted (55 MPH) velocity restrict heading to an emergency name,” wrote Dinkla when requested how briskly Benda’s car was touring on the time of the crash. “What’s acknowledged on the MARS report about contributing circumstances was verified with the Technical Investigator.”

Medical expert Klein declined to take a position about whether or not the extent of the officer’s accidents may be associated to the crashworthiness of the car, saying that was outdoors of his experience. Trooper Benda was sporting a seat belt and did survive the crash that destroyed his car, though he was gravely injured.

The MARS report states that the car was responding in an “emergency standing” however its “warning lights weren’t used.” Dinkla wrote that the sunshine bar on the car was destroyed within the crash, so investigators couldn’t decide whether or not the lights have been working on the time of the crash.

Nonetheless, the site visitors investigation reporting handbook features a particular response code (“Code 99—Unknown”) to be used by the accident investigator when answering this specific information aspect. This report comprises a special code: “03—Sure, warning tools not used.”

“Driver habits associated to emergency car response is an rising nationwide concern,” based on the Investigating Officers Crash Reporting Information, revealed by the Iowa Division of Transportation. Knowledge in regards to the emergency standing of automobiles concerned in crashes are captured to “information growth of coaching or different countermeasures to cut back the variety of crashes involving emergency car response.”

Images by John Morrissey, taken on the Might 6 ceremony on the Iowa Peace Officers Memorial, are revealed with permission.