Four Victims in Fatal Cedar Rapids Accident Have Been Identified

The victims of a Friday night crash on Cedar Rapids' southwest side have been identified.

Friday, December 1 just before 10 p.m., emergency personnel were called to a head-on crash on C St. SW, near Thomas Edison Blvd.

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department and Cedar Rapids Police Department responded to reports that occupants were trapped in their vehicles, with one of the cars on fire.

While the fire was being extinguished, medical evaluations were done by Area Ambulance personnel, along with members of the police and fire departments.

All four of the accident victims died at the scene. The Cedar Rapids Police Department has identified them as 18-year-old Casey Krager of Davenport, 18-year-old Carter Cooper of Bettendorf, 52-year-old Ruth Tekeste of Cedar Rapids, and a 13-year-old Cedar Rapids male.

Our news partner, KCRG TV-9, identified the 13-year-old as Buruk Mehari, the son of Tekeste. He was a student at Prairie Point Middle School.

According to a GoFundMe page created for Tekeste and Mehari's medical expenses, Mehari was born in Cairo, Egypt. He and his mother moved to Cedar Rapids in 2014. To date, the GoFundMe has raised nearly $30,000.

According to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the accident investigation continues. We will update this story as more information becomes available.

Get our free mobile app