News : Two fatalities reported in separate Benton County incidents

Two people have been killed in transportation-related incidents in Benton County in the past few days. On Friday evening, April 20, Arlene Erusha, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died in an accident at the intersection of Highway 30 and 32nd Avenue south of Atkins. The Iowa State Patrol says Erusha was attempting to cross Highway 30 when she pulled into the path of a semi driven by William Butterfield, 69, of Tama. Erusha was pronounced dead at the scene; Butterfield went by ambulance to a Cedar Rapids hospital. See the crash report HERE. Pedestrian killed by train in Belle Plaine

Around midnight Monday April 23, 2018, Union Pacific Railroad reported to Benton County Communications that a train had struck a pedestrian. Belle Plaine Police and Belle Plaine Ambulance were on scene and the incident is now confirmed a fatality. The name of the deceased will be released later following family notifications.

All railroad crossings in Belle Plaine have reopened.