The Sac County Sheriff’s Office is urging caution after three accidents are reported right after the four-lane section of Highway 20, between Holstein and Early, opened late last week. Early in the afternoon on Thursday, Oct. 4, only a few hours after the highway opened, they had their first accident. Fortunately, there were no injuries when a 2008 Pontiac G6, driven by 26-year-old Simon Ross Cowell of Odebolt, was northbound on M43, but did not stop at the posted stop sign before pulling out onto the highway. An eastbound 1998 Volvo semi-tractor trailer, driven by 48-year-old Tomasz Rusiecki of Wood Dale, Ill., struck the front end of the Cowell car. The G6 was totaled in the accident and the semi sustained an estimated $2,000 in damages. The second accident occurred Saturday morning at approximately 10:15 a.m. at the same intersection. Seventy-year-old Dawn Janelle Christiansen of Early told authorities she did not realize the eastbound lanes were open. She proceeded to turn her 2015 Buick Encore southbound without looking and struck the driver’s side of an oncoming 2006 Peterbilt semi-tractor trailer, driven by 24-year-old Tyler Sterling Price of Webster City. No injuries were reported, but there was an estimated $10,000 in damage to the Christiansen vehicle and $5,000 to the semi. Christiansen was cited for failure to yield upon a left turn. The third accident was reported at around 1 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Highway 20 and N28, north of Lytton. Thirty-two-year-old Bryon John Williams of Lake City was southbound on N28 in a 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. He crossed over the westbound lane of Highway 20, but did not yield to the eastbound traffic. In an effort to avoid being struck by oncoming vehicles, he accelerated, but struck a vehicle in front of him, a 2012 Cadillac SRX, driven by 48-year-old Stewart Donald Appel of Denver, Iowa. Again, no injuries were reported, but there was an estimated $3,000 in damages done to each vehicle.
