Iowa Bus Crash Kills Baseball Player, Injures 32

Crash occurred on Highway 4 west of Twin Lakes as team traveled to Arkansas for a game

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A 19-year-old baseball player was killed and 32 others were injured when a bus carrying the Iowa Lakes Community College team crashed on Wednesday in Calhoun County, Iowa. The bus went off the road, rolled into a ditch, and two passengers were ejected and trapped underneath.

Why it matters

The crash has devastated the Iowa Lakes Community College community and raised concerns about the safety of the stretch of Highway 4 where the incident occurred, which has seen multiple fatal accidents in the past decade.

The details

The 74-year-old bus driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, went off the road, and overcorrected, causing the bus to roll into a ditch. Two passengers were ejected and became trapped underneath the bus. Student-athletes in a van behind the bus administered CPR to the 19-year-old victim, Carter Johnson, but he could not be revived.

  • The crash occurred around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • The Iowa Lakes Community College team was traveling to Arkansas for a baseball game when the crash happened.

The players

Carter Johnson

A 19-year-old freshman outfielder for the Iowa Lakes Lakers baseball team who was killed in the crash.

Scott Stokes

The president of Iowa Lakes Community College, who described the situation as 'an incredibly difficult time' for the college community.

Troy Larson

The Iowa Lakes Athletics Director, who said Johnson 'was a great teammate, a friend and a valued member of our athletic community.'

Iowa State Patrol

The law enforcement agency that investigated the crash and noted the stretch of Highway 4 where it occurred is known to be dangerous, with four fatal accidents reported there in the last decade.

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What they’re saying

“Our students, faculty, staff and family have been deeply affected.”

— Scott Stokes, President, Iowa Lakes Community College (World Today News)

“He was a great teammate, a friend and a valued member of our athletic community.”

— Troy Larson, Athletics Director, Iowa Lakes Community College (World Today News)

What’s next

The Iowa State Patrol is continuing to investigate the cause of the crash, and the specific curve in Highway 4 where it occurred is believed to have contributed to the incident.

The takeaway

This tragic accident has highlighted the need for improved safety measures and infrastructure on the dangerous stretch of Highway 4 where multiple fatal crashes have occurred in recent years, as well as the devastating impact such incidents can have on close-knit college communities.