Marion teen out of hospital after serious Highway 13 crash

The Marion boy hurt in a serious accident on Highway 13 last week is out of the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, his mother said.

Layne R. Vandersee, 15, of Marion, was the driver of a car that turned in front of a southbound pickup on Nov. 29 at the intersection of 29th Avenue, police confirmed Wednesday. The driver of the pickup, Derrick Schantz, 30, of Center Point, was not hurt.

Jamie Vandersee said her son suffered three skull fractures in the crash, but did not break any other bones. He spent time in the Intensive Care Unit at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, but progressed faster than expected. He was released from the hospital Tuesday.

"We were lucky," Jamie Vandersee said. "One inch either way and he would not be here."

Vandersee said her son, who has a school permit to drive, was on his way to Linn-Mar High School that morning. She said he does not remember anything about the accident. Along with the memory loss and headaches, he struggles with balance, but doctors expect that to improve with time and physical therapy, she said. He has no noticeable bruises or cuts.

"If you look at him, you would never know that he was in an accident," Vandersee said.

Police Lt. Scott Elam said Layne Vandersee would be cited for failure to yield. Investigators had not released any new details about what caused the crash.

Schantz was on his way to do survey work in the pickup, which belonged to the Linn County Secondary Roads Department, officials said.

Vandersee said their family is grateful to the first responders and doctors for all their efforts. She said the community should be thankful for those local resources.

"We can't say enough about the Marion Police Department, and the care that they gave, along with the paramedics and the people that stopped while my son was out there," Jamie Vandersee said. "If I could repay that debt, I would in a heartbeat. And the care that he got at the University of Iowa. Amazing. Top-notch."