Peosta man cited following accident in Smelser

On Wednesday [December 18th] at 2:51pm, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a one-vehicle crash on County Highway D at the intersection with Center Road in Smelser. During the investigation, it was found that 19-year-old Pedro Chavez of Peosta, IA, was operating his vehicle eastbound on County H, when Chavez drove off of the south side of the road and entered the ditch. Chavez continued through the ditch and struck a guy wire for a utility pole with the front of his vehicle. The vehicle then struck an embankment on the west side of Center Road, likely causing the vehicle to become airborne and strike another embankment on the east side of the road. Chavez had been wearing his seatbelt and multiple airbags deployed in the vehicle. Chavez sustained minor injuries, but refused transport by EMS. The vehicle received severe damage and had to be towed from the scene. Chavez was cited for Operating without a Driver’s License and Operating a Vehicle without Insurance. Chavez was also issued a written warning for Failure to Maintain Control of a Vehicle. The Cuba City Fire Department, Southwest Health EMS, and Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative assisted at the scene.