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Meet the victims:
• Jay C. Bock
• Steven Benscoter
• Dennis E. Chaney
• Dale E. Aspedon
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LITTLE SIOUX, Iowa — A 21-year-old Nebraskan is under investigation after he allegedly swerved across the center line, striking and killing four motorcyclists Monday evening.
Andrew D. Schlichtemeier of Murray, Neb., was treated at a hospital in Onawa, Iowa, and released.
Authorities Tuesday identified the four motorcyclists killed in the 6 p.m. accident on Interstate 29 at the Little Sioux exit: Dennis E. Chaney, 62, of Glenwood, Iowa; Steven Benscoter, 62, of Pacific Junction, Iowa; Jay C. Bock, 48, of Omaha; and Dale E. Aspedon, 49, of Glenwood.
Three riders were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred just before 6 p.m. The fourth was pronounced dead at 7:35 p.m. at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, after being flown there by helicopter, said Courtney Greene, a spokeswoman for the Iowa State Patrol.
The four were returning from their annual visit to the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D. Chaney and Bock were cousins. Bock was the general manager of M's Pub in the Old Market.
Only one motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, Greene said. The others had their helmets attached to their saddlebags. The helmets probably would not have saved their lives, she said.
Iowa does not require motorcyclists to wear a helmet.
The motorcycles were southbound and had made it nearly to the south end of the 14-mile-long construction zone, which started about two miles south of Little Sioux. At the point the accident occurred, southbound traffic was diverted to a single lane on the northbound side of the Interstate, one lane in each direction separated by a double yellow line and 4-foot-high orange and white plastic sticks.
The crash shut down the roadway for hours in both directions. Traffic was routed off I-29 at the Little Sioux exit and onto a county road detour.
The pickup truck, a red Chevrolet Colorado, was traveling north when it crossed the center line and into the path of the southbound motorcycles, Greene said.
The motorcycles had been traveling “fairly close together” when the crash occurred, she said.
Investigators believe that alcohol use was a factor in the collision. The pickup driver was being tested, Greene said. The accident report did not state why authorities suspected alcohol was involved.
World-Herald staff writer Kevin Cole contributed to this report.
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