MASON CITY, IA - Emergency crews answered a call for help at around 3:30 this morning, just southeast of Rockford. They found two people in a pickup. One died on the scene the other is recovering.State Patrol investigators are trying to find how a truck backing out of a driveway could end up overturned in a ditch. Ryan Dougherty and Brianne Marie Pals were leaving a friend's house on 230th street, east of Foothill Avenue.
The Patrol reports Dougherty was backing out of the driveway at a high rate of speed. Somehow he lost control of the pickup truck. The truck went into the ditch directly across from the house and flipped over.
Pals ended up partially out of the pickup and she died at the scene. Dougherty was rushed to Mercy Medical Center North Iowa
Sgt. Dana Knutson of the Iowa State Patrol tells us neither of them was wearing seat belt at the time of the accident.
"Accidents happen closest to home statistically and so it doesn't matter if you’re just going down the street to pick up the mail or a short trip. This goes to show anything can happen in a short distance."
We met some family members and friends of the driver out at the crash site Monday. It is very hard for them to talk about the crash. Dougherty is still at Mercy Medical Center and at last check he is listed in "fair" condition.
