–Only minor injuries were reported following a 2-vehicle accident near Whittemore Friday afternoon.
According to the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, 31-year-old Ryan Rittgers of Pocahontas was eastbound on US Highway 18 in a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse near Whittemore, just before 1PM Friday. Rittgers told Deputies that he had planned on turning North on Iowa Highway 15 and had signaled his intentions to turn left.
As Rittgers began to turn, he noticed the Road Closed signs on Highway 15, and attempted to change course and turn south onto 20th Avenue towards Whittemore.
At the same time, a 2020 Peterbilt Semi driven by 32-year-old Timothy Fry of Sioux City was eastbound on HWY 18, behind the Rittgers vehicle. Fry told Deputies that he thought the vehicle in front was going to turn north, and when that changed, he had to swerve to try and avoid a collision, before sideswiping the Traverse and entering the south ditch.
Both drivers reported minor injuries and neither needed to be transported from the scene. Damage to Rittgers vehicle was estimated at $10,000 while damage to the semi was estimated at $2,500.
