Keokuk County, Iowa is mourning the tragic loss of 20-year-old Caleb Eugene Schultz, who died in a single-vehicle crash early Sunday morning, along with injuries sustained by three passengers.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash occurred shortly after 1 a.m. near the 10000 block of 170th Street, northwest of What Cheer. Investigators reported that a Cadillac SRX was traveling westbound when it left the roadway, struck a power pole, and rolled multiple times before coming to rest in a ditch.
Authorities confirmed that Schultz died at the scene from his injuries. They also noted that he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Three passengers in the vehicle were injured: a 19-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were taken to Mahaska Hospital, while an 18-year-old woman was transported to Keokuk Health Center. Their conditions have not yet been released, and officials stated that none of the occupants were wearing seatbelts.
The Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the ongoing investigation as authorities work to determine what factors contributed to the vehicle leaving the roadway and rolling multiple times.
As the investigation continues, friends, family, and community members are grieving the sudden loss of a young man and hoping for the recovery of those injured in the crash.