A 19-year-old Altoona man was killed early Friday morning after driving the wrong way on Interstate 80, causing a three-vehicle collision that also left several others injured.
The Iowa State Patrol identified the victim as Zachary Scothorn, a graduate of Johnston High School and a supply chain management student at Iowa State University. Scothorn, originally from Johnston and living in Ames, was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-80 near Altoona at approximately 1:35 a.m. when his Toyota Tundra collided head-on with an eastbound vehicle.
According to the crash report, a second vehicle traveling eastbound was unable to avoid striking Scothorn’s truck. That vehicle became disabled in the roadway and was hit by a third vehicle moments later.
Scothorn, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in his truck, along with the drivers of the two other vehicles, suffered injuries and was transported to a local hospital by Altoona EMS. The severity of their injuries has not yet been released.
The crash caused significant traffic delays overnight as emergency crews worked to clear the scene. Around 4:40 a.m., a Polk County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle was struck while responding to the crash site. The deputy inside sustained injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the incident involving wrong-way driving. No further details have been released at this time.
