(Spencer)– A two-vehicle collision Saturday at an intersection in Clay County claimed two lives.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says 61-year-old Joseph Bonstetter of West Bend was driving a 1999 Chevrolet S-10 eastbound on County Road B-24 and 50-year-old Denise Boeve of Hartley was driving a 2009 Toyota southbound on County Road M-50. Deputies say Bonstetter failed to stop for a stop sign and struck the passenger side of the vehicle driven by Boeve, causing it to slide sideways into the southeast ditch, where it came to rest facing west. The vehicle driven by Bonstetter spun 360 degrees, coming to rest facing east.
Bonstetter was transported to Spencer Hospital and was pronounced dead upon arrival. The front passenger in the vehicle Boeve was driving, 78-year-old Yvonne Huls of Boyden, was pronounced dead at the scene. Boeve and two other passengers in her vehicle, 27-year-old Sara Krikke and 50-year-old Mary Jo Huls, were transported to Spencer Hospital. Boeve and Krikke were both life-flighted to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City. No information was immediately available on their conditions or extent of injuries.
$6,000 in damage was estimated to the pickup driven by Bonstetter; $15,000 in damage was estimated to the car driven by Boeve.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene by the Spencer Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, Dickens Fire and Rescue, Spencer Fire and Rescue, Spencer ambulance and paramedics and the Clay County Medical Examiner.
The crash took place around 1:30 p.m.
Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow says it remains under investigation.
