It’s been one year since three people were killed when a truck accelerated through the front doors of the Pella Walmart.

Friday, Walmart associates remembered the tragedy during a store meeting.

A plaque now hangs next to the front entrance, remembering Carrie Zugg and Lindsey Rietveld, two employees that were killed, as well as Ruth Jean DeJong, who was shopping near the front of the store.

It reads:

“They say there is a reason,
They say that time will heal,
But neither time or reason,
Will change the way we feel.

For no one knows the heartache,
That lies behind our smiles,
No one knows how many times,
We have broken down and cried.

We want to tell you something,
So there won’t be any doubt,
You’re so wonderful to think of,
But so hard to be without.

We cannot bring the old days back,
When we were all together,
The family chain is broken now,
But memories live forever.”

—

On December 1st, 2016, a silver Ford pickup driven by Dennis Mockenhaupt accelerated through the front of the store at 9:53 a.m. Marion County Attorney Ed Bull said in March there was no reason to believe Mockenhaupt intended to drive into the store, and that he was not under the influence of alcohol or any legal or illegal drugs when the truck slammed through the front doors of the Pella Walmart at approximately 48 MPH. No charges were filed for the incident.

“All evidence appears and points to the fact that there was an unexplained medical condition that resulted in the driver’s unintended acceleration,” Bull said. “Under Iowa law, there simply was not a crime that was committed. This was a horrific, terrible accident, and unfortunately, three individuals lost their life.”

KNIA/KRLS has also learned that a lawsuit filed by Kristine Kohrs on behalf of the estate of Lindsey Rietveld against Walmart and Mockenhaupt was dismissed without prejudice this past July in Marion County District Court, according to court records.