UPDATE AT 2:15 P.M.: https://kniakrls.com/2018/10/update-prairie-city-man-dies-in-fatal-crash-this-morning/

ORIGINAL POST:

One person died in a crash involving farm equipment west of Monroe earlier this morning.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the collision occurred at approximately 8 a.m. near mile marker 24 on Highway 163. A van slammed into the back of farm machinery being pulled by a tractor, which caused the van to catch fire. The driver of that van died in the crash. Their identity has not been released, pending notification of family. Troopers believe sunlight in the driver’s eyes may have been a factor in the crash.

While the Iowa State Patrol was providing traffic assistance after the crash, a driver slammed into a patrol car, sending it into a ditch (photo above). That driver was not injured, and the trooper was not inside the vehicle at the time. Distracted driving was considered a likely cause of the second crash.