Head-on collision near Rossville claims one life, injures four others

A head-on collision on Highway 76 near the community of Rossville Sunday, August 26 at around 1 p.m. resulted in one fatality, according to an initial report issued by the Iowa State Patrol. The report indicates that a southbound GMC pick-up crossed the center line and collided head-on with a northbound Chevrolet Silverado pick-up just west of Rossville, with the GMC then catching fire and becoming fully engulfed before authorities could arrive on scene.
The driver of the southbound vehicle, whose name has not yet been released due to clarification of identity and notification of kin, was killed in the accident. Other area media reports had indicated a hometown and age of the deceased driver, but those reports were declared erroneous by officials investigating the accident.
The northbound vehicle was driven by Patrick John Egan, age 29, of Waukon. Passengers in the vehicle included the driver's father, Patrick Egan Sr., and the driver's two brothers, Dustin Egan, age 31, and Lance Egan, age 10. Contrary to previous area media reports that indicated just three occupants of the Egan vehicle, all four of the Egans were transported by ambulance to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Patrick Egan Sr. was airlifted to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI where he is now listed in good condition. The other three members of the Egan family who were involved in the accident were treated at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon and released.
Assisting at the scene were the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department and Waukon and Waterville fire and ambulance services. The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol, which had no updates as of newspaper press time Tuesday morning, August 28.
Eyewitness accounts also indicate that a number of individuals initially assisted at the scene in efforts to prevent further injury or fatalities until authorities were able to arrive on the scene, including a passer-by who hooked a log chain to the Egan vehicle and pulled it approximately 50 feet from the burning vehicle to avoid further injury to the Egan father and son who were still pinned in their vehicle and had to be extricated by the Waukon Fire Department Jaws of Life.