Alcohol Present in Driver in Wrong Way I-380 Car Crash Deaths

Alcohol was present in the driver who caused the tragic head-on collision that killed himself and one other person, according to a just-released report.

Cedar Rapids Police issued a statement today regarding the results of Rob Norton's toxicology report.

Mr. Norton, of Iowa City died in a horrific head-on car crash on I-380 on Monday evening January 29, in an accident that also killed 28 year-old Jennifer Koenighain of Cedar Rapids.

Norton’s car was driving the wrong way on northbound I-380 around 9:10 p.m. Police said they had been notified by concerned motorists that someone was driving dangerously, but they arrived at the accident just minutes after the crash.

Both Norton, age 69, and and Koenighain died upon impact at the scene.

"According to witness statements and traffic camera footage obtained from the Iowa Department of Transportation, it appears that Norton traveled southbound in the northbound I-380 inside lane (closest to the median) for over 3 miles before striking Koenighain’s vehicle head-on.  There are no indications that Norton’s vehicle swerved or left that inside lane as he continued to travel in the wrong direction on the interstate.  Norton’s vehicle appeared to be travelling slower than the vehicles on the other side of the median that were correctly traveling south in the southbound I-380 lanes."

Police today confirmed that alcohol was present in the driver's blood. However in the report issued today, Norton’s blood alcohol level was not released. It also did not reveal if any prescription medications were found in Norton's system.

"There was the presence of alcohol but there was no forensic correlation with intoxication level as defined by Iowa Code."

So the question remains, if Mr. Norton was not impaired by alcohol (alone) what was the reason he traveled over 3 miles in the wrong direction? The families and other victims have a right to know the full truth.

Rob Norton was the owner of KZIA FM Inc. a small local radio group that included station Z-102.9.

[source: Cedar Rapids Police Dept.]