Independence Day parade in Central Iowa’s Slater ends in fatality

The end of Slater’s Independence Day parade turned deadly Saturday when a woman backed a sedan into a crowd of pedestrians, killing one and injuring three including a 6-year-old girl who was dragged under the car, authorities said.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the parade had ended when the driver, who authorities identified as Karen Wheeler, 75, of Cambridge, about 11 a.m. backed up a Hyundai Sonata that had been parked on Main Street into the pedestrians.

Mary Nienow, 59, of Albert Lea, Minn., was dragged under the car and died, the patrol said.

Reagan Powell, 6, of Huxley, also was dragged under the car and was flown by air ambulance to a hospital. Rikki Powell, 30, of Huxley, was struck by the car and knocked out of its path, and went to the hospital. Linda Nordstrom, 67, also of Huxley, was run over and also hospitalized, according to the patrol. The extent of their injuries was not reported.

The crash remains under investigation and no charges were announced Saturday. Slater, about 20 miles north of Des Moines, had advertised a holiday celebration Saturday that was to include a pancake breakfast, the parade, craft and food vendors and a carnival.