A severe thunderstorm with high winds battered Iowa yesterday and claimed the life of a semi truck driver.
Last night, around 5:40 p.m. 70 year old truck driver James Arthur Budlong had been driving on Highway 57 near Parkersburg when a gust of wind rolled his tractor trailer, which was empty.
According to Butler County Emergency Management Coordinator Mitch Nodmeyer, Budlong and another truck driver had been driving in tandem through the storm. The truckers pulled over when they could no longer see well enough to drive. It was after Budlong had parked that the wind blew the truck over.
Budlong was pinned in the truck by the rollover crash and passed away as a result of his injuries.
Wind speeds of 70 m.p.h. were recorded during the storm.
Approximately 3,700 Iowa residents remain without electricity this morning as crews scramble to respond to the damaging storm.
Here’s a sneak peek at some incredible video of last night’s #storm in one Iowa community. We’re talking about it at 6. @kwqcnews pic.twitter.com/oQPprwTxqa
— Morgan Ottier (@KWQCMorgan) May 18, 2017