A well-known West Liberty couple died in a head-on two-vehicle car accident on Interstate 80 early Monday morning, Dec. 21, claiming the lives of all three of the passengers involved.
The accident took place at 4:30 a.m. when an eastbound 2015 Nissan Altima vehicle driven by 20-year-old Eric Nunez of Plano, Illinois, was traveling in the westbound lanes of the interstate, striking a 2015 Dodge Caravan carrying Robert and Teresa Larson of West Liberty at the 254-mile marker near West Branch.
Robert Larson was driving the Caravan at the time of the accident. Both Larsons were wearing seat belts while Nunez reportedly was not wearing a seat belt.
The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol and Cedar County Sheriff’s Office. The West Branch Fire Department and Cedar County Medical Emergency units responded to the accident. Westbound traffic on I-80 that morning was backed up for approximately four hours because of the crash.
Robert Larson was 70 years of age and his wife, Teresa, was 68. All three people involved in the accident were pronounced dead at the scene and were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Iowa City by emergency vehicles.
Funeral service arrangements for the Larson couple are pending at Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty. Watch for details.