2 North Liberty residents killed in southwest Iowa crash

Three people — including two North Liberty residents — were killed, and two children were injured Friday in a crash in Cass County, near Atlantic, in southwest Iowa.

Erick William Kerkman, 46, of North Liberty was driving a 2001 Toyota Camry south on Highway 71 near the intersection of Troublesome Creek Rd. in Cass County just before 1 p.m. Friday, according to a crash report from the Iowa State Patrol. “For unknown reasons,” a 1999 Ford F350 pickup truck being driven north by Michael Adam Warnaca, 43 of Exira, crossed the center line of the highway and struck Kerkman’s car head-on.

Killed in the crash were Kerkman, Warnaca, and an unidentified 15-year-old girl from North Liberty. Two people were injured: a 10-year-old boy from Exira who was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital, and a 12-year-old boy from North Liberty who was taken to University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The crash is being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.