Nebraska woman, children injured in single-car rollover on Highway 96

GLADBROOK - A Nebraska woman traveling westbound on Iowa Highway 96 near H Avenue/T55 last Saturday evening lost control of her vehicle, leading to a severe rollover crash that sent all three occupants to an area hospital, including two minor children.

"I was first on the scene as the incident was only a few miles from my house and directly in my path to the station," Craig Sash, lieutenant and training officer for Gladbrook Fire and Rescue, told the newspaper of the accident. "There were several passersby that thankfully stopped and got the first child out. We were able to get the second child out before help arrived. The driver of the vehicle had to be extricated."

According to the accident report shared with the newspaper by the Tama County Sheriff's Office, the single-vehicle crash occurred just before 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1. Nicki Bailey, 48, of Firth, Nebraska, was operating a 2026 Toyota Sienna passenger van when she entered the north ditch, striking a field driveway which caused her van to roll "several times," per the report. The van eventually came to rest in the ditch on the driver's side facing the highway to the south. The vehicle was a total loss.

Bailey was wearing her seat belt as were her two minor occupants - an 8-year-old boy and 9-year-old boy - who were both restrained in the van's back rows in forward-facing child safety seats.

Due to the vehicle being a hybrid model, Sash said rescuing the second child and then Bailey took longer than initially anticipated.

"We aim for less than 15 minutes for any extrication, but the position of the vehicle along with the vehicle being a hybrid - and very well built - prolonged the effort," he explained.

With no one available to respond at that time from Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance due to a shortage of volunteers/staff, Grundy Center Ambulance was paged. Reinbeck Ambulance was later requested and responded with two units.

"We did have AirCare enroute as a precaution and with knowledge of a prolonged extraction, but they were canceled before arrival," Sash added.

Bailey was transported by Grundy Center Ambulance, while the children were taken by Reinbeck. All three were treated at MercyOne in Waterloo. Per the accident report, the children sustained suspected minor injuries. No information was available on Bailey's condition.

The weather at the time of the accident was clear and dry. As of press time, the crash remains under investigation.

Gladbrook Fire and Rescue was assisted in its response by Grundy Center Ambulance and Reinbeck Ambulance along with the Tama County Sheriff's Office. AirCare and Traer Ambulance were also dispatched, but were cancelled prior to arrival.