One killed, another hurt after 11-vehicle collision on Interstate 80

One person was killed and another injured after a multivehicle collision ensnared Interstate 80 for several hours Thursday night.

Seven passenger vehicles and four semi trailers were involved in the crash around 3:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-80 just east of the First Avenue exit in Coralville, according to an Iowa State Patrol crash report. Ice and snow covered the road at the time of the crash, the patrol report said.

Heavy snowfall began in the area in the early afternoon into the evening, creating near white-out conditions at times and limiting visibility.

William Hicks, 72, of Coralville, was killed in the crash, according to the report. He was passenger in a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Another passenger in a cargo van, Reggie Gist, 36, of Cedar Rapids, was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, according to the report. The extent of his injuries are not known.

Both of the men were wearing seat belts, according to the report. The drivers of the vehicles have not yet been identified.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, the patrol said.

The Iowa Department of Transportation established a detour along Interstate 80 West while that part of the highway was closed by the crash.

The detour led drivers north along Highway 1 until they reached Mount Vernon, then west along Highway 30, before turning south on I-380, returning drivers to I-80 west at the I-80/I-380 interchange.

In a tweet, the Iowa City Police Department released notice that I-80 was fully opened again at 7:40 p.m.