March 28, 2024

Authorities release names of couple injured in accident

A vehicle struck a Newton home Wednesday morning sending the occupants of the vehicle to the hospital.

At approximately 9:12 a.m., a vehicle traveling down North Third Avenue East struck the stairs of a house located at 306 E. 13th St. S. Upon striking the stairs, the vehicle was turned on it’s side and slid into the garage causing extensive damage to the house.

Doris Ann Diamond, 77, was driving the vehicle, and her husband, Charles Dean Diamond, 80, was a passenger in the vehicle. Both were taken to Skiff Medical Center and then airlifted to Des Moines.

As of Wednesday, Doris was in stable condition. Her husband remained in a critical care unit at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

James Klier Jr., a resident of the home that was struck by the vehicle, was at Hy-Vee getting gas when the accident happened.

“I came home and I actually dodged a cop car and an ambulance and firetruck,” Klier said. “The way I saw it was, we have a lot of accidents around my house just because it’s a straight way. It looks like the car came into my driveway, hit my staircase and when it hit my staircase flipped over then proceeded to go into the garage.”

No one was in the house at the time of the accident. Klier, who lives with his parents, said they were at work at the time of the accident. Klier also said that everyone in his family uses the garage to enter the home and that if he had been home it could have been worse.

“There’s some structural damage, a gas line’s broken or at least there’s a leak in it. I guess that insurance can cover it. I just really hope someone’s life wasn’t lost in this accident,” Klier said.

Officers are still investigating the cause of the accident.

Staff writer Dave Hon may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 425, or at dhon@newtondailynews.com.