South Dakota Baseball Player Identified As Victim In Iowa Bus Crash

Carter Johnson was a freshman baseball player at Iowa Lakes Community College.

Carter Johnson was identified as the person who passed away following a bus crash in Iowa Wednesday. Johnson, a South Dakota native, was a baseball player at Iowa Lakes. / Carter Johnson/X

A South Dakota native has been identified as the person who passed away following a bus crash in Iowa on Wednesday.

Carter Johnson, a freshman from Rapid City, South Dakota, was traveling with his Iowa Lakes Community College baseball teammates and coaches when the bus they were riding in lost control and flipped several times before coming to rest in a ditch.

Thirty-three people in the bus were treated either on-scene or at nearby hospitals from a variety of injuries sustained. Johnson was the lone person to pass away as of this report.

Crash In Iowa Involved Community College Baseball Team

“Those injured were transported either by air ambulance or ground ambulance to various hospitals in the area,” The Iowa State Patrol released. “There is one confirmed fatality. The crash remains under investigation. The Iowa State Patrol was assited by the Calhoun County Sheriff and EMA, Rockwell City Police Department, Calhoun County Emergency Management, the Iowa Department of Transportation and supporting agencies.”

Johnson, a 19-year-old, and the rest of the Lakers were on their way to play games this week in Harrison, Arkansas against North Arkansas College. The freshman is listed as an outfielder on the official Iowa Lakes roster, having played in one game this season while making a pair of at-bats.

'Tater' Was Graduate Of Rapid City Stevens High School

A graduate of Rapid City Stevens High School, Johnson was nicknamed “Tater.” He joined the Lakers hoping to turn the program around under former Iowa high school baseball standout and current head coach, Chris Witzke.

The incident happened around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 11 on Highway 4, which is a major traffic route near Twin Lakes, Iowa near the intersection of Highway 20. The vehicle left the road and rolled multiple times, according to a report by the Iowa State Patrol.

Second Vehicle Not Involved In Accident

A separate vehicle carrying six members of the Iowa Lakes team was not involved in the crash.

Classes have been cancelled at the community college for the remainder of the week.

Iowa Lakes is part of the ICCAC, one of the top leagues in junior college athletics for several sports, including baseball.