Police identify bicyclists, pedestrian hit in separate accidents

UPDATE: Two separate car accidents sent three people to the hospital with serious injuries over the course of Tuesday afternoon.

Around 4:30 p.m., Iowa State Troopers and Johnson County Sheriff's deputies arrived to 1338 Highway 1 to find that a 12-year-old Zachary Camacho, of Solon, had been hit by a car traveling highway speeds. Troopers said the boy was trying to cross the highway to check the mail box and was clipped by a northbound car driven by Daniel T. Ketchum, 35, of Mount Vernon.

Camacho landed in the ditch and Ketchum's car stopped in the opposite ditch.

The boy was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics by helicopter for treatment of serious but non-life threatening injuries, authorities said. Information about his condition was not immediately available.

No charges were expected to be filed against Ketchum.

Just before 7 p.m., authorities rushed to 3108 Prairie du Chien Road just north of Iowa City after receiving a call for two people injured by an oncoming sport-utility vehicle. Todd Spacek, 40, of Iowa City, and Kristin Spacek, 40, of Coralville, were riding a tandem bicycle north on the road, which is popular for bicyclists, when they were struck by the SUV. Authorities said the driver of the SUV, Justin Meade, 39, of North Liberty, was attempting to turn into a nearby driveway.

Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Greg Obbink said emergency responders found the couple conscious and breathing in the ditch and that they were rushed to University Of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City by ambulance.

The driver of the truck was taken in by authorities for questioning, but no charges have been filed as of yet.

Both incidents remain under investigation.