Fatal Accident U.S. Interstate 380 Southbound Off-Ramp to U.S. Highway 30

On Monday, July 5 at 3:25 p.m. Cedar Rapids Police officers and other first responders were dispatched to a single vehicle crash involving a Chevrolet Trailblazer on the U.S. Interstate 380 southbound off-ramp to U.S. Highway 30.  The vehicle, which had three occupants, rolled several times.  The driver and front seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle, while a third victim was found seat belted in the rear passenger compartment.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as Charles Ryan Yochem, DOB/12-29-1991, age 29, of La Porte City, Iowa, was transported by Lifeguard Air Ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with life-threatening injuries.  The Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office notified the Police Department that Yochem died as the result of his injuries on July 6 at 5:50 a.m.

The front passenger was identified as Deanna Marie Fugate, DOB/08-12-1971, age 49, of La Porte City. Fugate was transported by Area Ambulance Service to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for serious injuries.

The rear passenger in the vehicle was identified as Jasmine Keister, DOB/10-13-2002, age 18, of La Porte City.  Keister was transported to UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital for minor injuries.  She was treated and released from the hospital.

The preliminary accident investigation indicates that Yochem was traveling in the off-ramp lane for U.S. Highway 30 trying to merge back onto U.S Interstate 380 when he made an evasive correction to avoid another vehicle, lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle rolled several times. 

On Monday, July 5 at 3:25 p.m. Cedar Rapids Police officers and other first responders were dispatched to a single vehicle crash involving a Chevrolet Trailblazer on the U.S. Interstate 380 southbound off-ramp to U.S. Highway 30.  The vehicle, which had three occupants, rolled several times.  The driver and front seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle, while a third victim was found seat belted in the rear passenger compartment.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as Charles Ryan Yochem, DOB/12-29-1991, age 29, of La Porte City, Iowa, was transported by Lifeguard Air Ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with life-threatening injuries.  The Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office notified the Police Department that Yochem died as the result of his injuries on July 6 at 5:50 a.m.

The front passenger was identified as Deanna Marie Fugate, DOB/08-12-1971, age 49, of La Porte City. Fugate was transported by Area Ambulance Service to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for serious injuries.

The rear passenger in the vehicle was identified as Jasmine Keister, DOB/10-13-2002, age 18, of La Porte City.  Keister was transported to UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital for minor injuries.  She was treated and released from the hospital.

The preliminary accident investigation indicates that Yochem was traveling in the off-ramp lane for U.S. Highway 30 trying to merge back onto U.S Interstate 380 when he made an evasive correction to avoid another vehicle, lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle rolled several times.