Earlier today, the Iowa State Patrol released the name of the wrong-way driver in a crash that killed four people this weekend including two Des Moines police officers.
The Iowa State Patrol says 25-year-old Benjamin Beary, of Knoxville, was driving the Ford Taurus that collided head-on with an SUV occupied by Officers Carlos Puente-Morales and Susan Farrell, who were transporting a prisoner, Tosha Nicole Hyatt.
Dickey & Campbell Law Firm of Des Moines issued this statement on behalf of the Beary family:
"The family of 25-year-old Ben Beary is grieving his death, and we extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the three other people whose precious lives were lost in the horrible crash early Saturday morning on Interstate 80. Our pain at losing Ben, a beloved son and brother, is multiplied by the knowledge that this collision brought so much grief to others. We know Ben was watching basketball games Friday night with friends.
We know he would never intentionally cause this pain. We hope that the police are able to piece together what happened next. But whatever information they find will not diminish the pain we feel at losing Ben at a young age. Nor will it lessen the grief for the families of Susan Farrell, Carlos-Puente-Morales, and Tosha Nicole Hyatt.
Our condolences go out to all who lost loved ones in this tragic accident. May God bless our families in our time of mourning.
The family of Ben Beary requests privacy during this painful period."
KMTV checked Iowa court records and found Beary had past offenses for consumption of alcohol in a public place, public intoxication and driving with a suspended license.
The Iowa State Patrol has not said whether alcohol was a factor in this crash.
