Road rage determined as cause for fatal crash, driver charged

Des Moines, Iowa – A man from Iowa has been charged in a fatal accident that occurred in Polk County in August and was allegedly caused by a display of road rage, according to authorities.

Steven Elmer Clark, 35, of Indianola, was arrested Tuesday after turning himself in on charges of vehicular homicide by reckless driving and vehicular homicide by drag racing, according to a press release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Clark and another man, John Schmidt, 53, of Pleasantville, were drag racing on U.S. Highway 65 in Polk County on Aug. 26 when Schmidt swerved into Clark’s pickup, according to investigators.

Schmidt subsequently lost control, crossed the highway’s median, and was struck by two northbound cars, according to officials. Schmidt was pronounced dead at the scene.