March 28, 2024

Driver pleads not guilty in Des Moines crash deaths of 2 men

DES MOINES — A man has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide in the crash deaths of two men in Des Moines.

Polk County court records say the lawyer for Alejandro Contreras, 23, entered the pleas Tuesday. No trial date has been set.

The crash occurred around 11:45 a.m. Thursday, when a southbound car struck an eastbound car that had just entered the roadway, police said.

Two men in the eastbound car died after being rushed to a hospital, police said. They’ve been identified as Mauricio Ruiz Quintana, 26, and Brayan Martinez Ruiz, 22. They lived in Windsor Heights.