March 29, 2024

Motorcycle crash still under investigation

No charges filed in fatal wreck

More than a month after a motorcycle crash claimed the life of a former Reasnor man, an investigation is still underway and no charges have been filed.

Both Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess and Jasper County Assistant Attorney Scott Nicholson said there is much information to sort through. Bret Rice, 26, of Des Moines and formerly of Reasnor, was killed in the crash, which occurred at an intersection near Maytag Park in the early morning hours of Oct. 22.

Burdess said he is uncertain charges will be filed.

“At this point, the case is still under investigation and I cannot provide any further details in terms of whether charges are pending,” Burdess said. “I do not have a timeline for those answers at this point, but our office is actively working on the case.”

According to a report, at approximately 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 22, the Newton Police Department was called to a single-motorcycle accident near the intersection of West Fourth Street South and South 15th Avenue West. When officers arrived, they found two men lying in a ditch near the intersection.

The report states Rice was the passenger and that he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, Alex Spangenburg, 23, of Newton, was transported by air ambulance to Mercy Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He was hospitalized for at least several days.

Neither man was wearing a helmet.

According to Newton Police, the motorcycle was traveling south in the 1300 block of West Fourth Street when the driver struck the curb on the east side of the roadway. The motorcycle slid on its side and then struck the south curb along South 15th Avenue West, then vaulted and struck a utility pole.

Spangenburg had a revoked license and didn’t have a motorcycle endorsement. Speed is believed to be a contributing factor. No information has been released regarding whether alcohol was a factor in a crash.

A case number was generated regarding Spangenburg’s case and posted to the Iowa Courts website, but that case was recently removed.

Nicholson said it’s common for a case that involves severe injury or death, along with other complicated circumstances, to take weeks or months to complete before determining how to proceed.

“Because of the nature of this particular investigation, it could be some time before criminal charges are developed and filed,” Nicholson said.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com