JASPER COUNTY – A car versus train accident in Jasper County yesterday resulted in the death of a Laurel man.

According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the accident was reported at around 1:40 PM on Tuesday, November 10. The emergency call reported a collision involving a passenger vehicle and a locomotive at the Iowa Interstate Railroad crossing located at Jasper County Highway T-12 and North 39th Avenue East, northeast of Newton.

Upon arrival, law enforcement and emergency medical personnel discovered that the vehicle’s sole occupant had been ejected from the vehicle and a portion of his body was pinned under it. The driver was identified as 43-year-old Carl Benskin of rural Laurel, and he had been driving a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu.

Emergency personnel immediately initiated life-saving measures; however, despite their efforts, Benskin was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the train was uninjured.

The accident resulted in the temporary closure of the roadway, which reopened at approximately 4:20 PM.

The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the collision with assistance from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Newton Fire Department, Newton Police Department, and the Jasper County Medical Examiner’s Office.