-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Distracted driving was the cause of a crash along U.S. Highway 20 on Friday, according to Sgt. Neil Morenz, of the Iowa State Patrol. Rafal Seternus, 50, of Des Plaines, Illinois, was driving a semi truck and trailer westbound when a Chevy Equinox driven by Abigail Bean, 20, of Marathon, crashed into the back of the trailer. Bean was distracted by an app on her smartphone, Morenz reported. When she looked up, the semi was traveling at a slower speed than she anticipated. As a result, Bean was unable to stop in time and collided with the trailer. The impact of the crash, which was reported at 2:02 p.m., caused significant front-end damage to the car. The windshield was cracked and the airbag deployed. Bean was treated on scene for minor injuries and released. She was cited for failure to maintain control. The Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff's Department, Webster County Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Transportation and Fort Dodge Fire Department responded.