Tragic Bus Accident Near Twin Lakes Claims Life of Iowa Lakes Baseball Player, Leaves 32 Injured

In a tragic incident on Thursday, authorities identified a 19-year-old from South Dakota as the sole casualty in a bus accident that left 32 others injured. The bus, carrying a community college baseball team, crashed in a rural area of Iowa.

The victim, Carter Johnson, was an outfielder hailing from Rapid City and was in his freshman year at Iowa Lakes Community College. He succumbed to his injuries following the accident on Wednesday when the bus veered off the highway and overturned in a ditch near Twin Lakes, Iowa, approximately 85 miles northwest of Des Moines.

The cause of the bus’s deviation from the road remains unclear, according to Iowa State Patrol Lt. Aaron Smidt. An investigation into the incident is currently underway to determine what led to the crash.

“Carter was more than just a player,” expressed Troy Larson, the school’s athletic director. “He was a cherished friend and teammate who brought a significant impact to our community, both academically and athletically.”

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Smidt said student-athletes in a vehicle trailing the bus were administering CPR to Johnson when first responders arrived. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.

All of the other occupants on the bus – 32 teammates – were injured in the crash but are stable and recovering, Smidt said. Three were airlifted for treatment in the Des Moines area.

The team had games scheduled Thursday and Friday at North Arkansas College in Harrison, Arkansas. Larson said the coaches and players will discuss in the weeks ahead how the team will move forward with their season.

“It’s going to take some time for them to recover from some injuries,” Smidt said, without providing details on the injuries or the conditions. “It was a pretty violent collision.”