Tipton man charged with vehicular homicide in 2024 crash

A Tipton man was arrested this week on charges of vehicular homicide in relation to a fatal crash that happened in July 2024.

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Thomas Carmack, 61, is charged with two counts of serious injury by vehicle, and two counts of homicide by vehicle. One of the homicide charges has the specification “reckless driving,” and the other has the specification “operating under the influence.” He’s also been charged with driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway and failure to maintain control.

According to criminal complaints, Iowa State Patrol troopers responded to a crash at about 7:40 p.m. on July 6, 2024. The crash happened on Cedar Valley Road, just southwest of Sand Trap Circle in Tipton. Carmack had been driving northeast in a 2008 Mazda CX-9, and he crossed onto the wrong side of the road just as he was passing four utility terrain vehicles that were driving southwest.

The first two UTVs swerved out of the way of the Mazda, but the third, a 2022 Polaris Ranger, was hit, causing both vehicles to spin out. Both vehicles landed on their drivers’ sides in the ditch on the north side of the road.

Thomas Brown, 63, the driver of the Polaris, was thrown from the vehicle as it spun, despite wearing a seat belt. He and his passenger, Diana Brown, 59 at the time of the crash, both of whom lived in West Liberty, were taken to the hospital with injuries.

Thomas died from his injuries, and Diana suffered multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung and other injuries, according to criminal complaints.

Carmack also was taken to the hospital with injuries, where a state trooper administered a Standardized Field Sobriety Test, which indicated he was impaired, and he told the trooper he had consumed a “shooter” of Southern Comfort Whiskey earlier in the day, according to complaints and a warrant request.

A blood sample taken about four hours after the crash showed Carmack had a blood-alcohol level of 0.025, and a toxicology report indicated that his alcohol level likely would have been between 0.064 and 0.125 at the time of the crash, so it was possible it was higher than the legal limit of 0.080.

Calculations conducted on the vehicle after the crash also indicated that Carmack had been driving between 59.7 and 63.1 mph at the time of the crash, about 30 mph more than the posted speed limit of 35 mph, complaints state.

Carmack was arrested Wednesday and had his first appearance in court on Thursday. He is being held in the Cedar County Jail on a cash-only $20,000 bond.

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com