Iowa Department of Public Safety
Larry L. Noble, Commissioner
215 East 7th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Colonel Patrick J. Hoye, Chief

Crash Investigation on Death of Trooper Toney Complete

Des Moines, IOWA --- The Iowa State Patrol is releasing investigative findings on the crash that killed Trooper Mark Toney on September 20, 2011. 

Collision Reconstructionist Sgt. Randy Bulver conducted a careful evaluation of the facts and circumstances involving this collision.  “Through the course of the investigation I uncovered a lot of information about what happened during Trooper Toney’s crash.  Unfortunately, the one question we can’t answer is, ‘Why did his car leave the roadway and crash?’”.

Sgt. Bulver’s investigation revealed:

On September 20, 2011, Trooper Mark Toney was on patrol working traffic on Highway 65/69 in the area 1.5 miles south of Indianola, advising State Radio he was on duty at 3:58 PM.  Witnesses describe that he activated his emergency lights and turned around quickly, approximately one mile south of the collision location.  However, no witness could describe a vehicle in the vicinity that Trooper Toney may have been preparing to stop.  As Trooper Toney was northbound, he neared the edge of the roadway.  One witness indicated that Toney had dropped a wheel off on the shoulder, however no evidence was found to support this.  Trooper Toney overcorrected leaving a critical speed scuff on the roadway.  The vehicle left the roadway, struck a culvert, rolled several times, and burned.  Trooper Toney’s approximate speed was calculated at 115-120 miles per hour.

Trooper Toney was seat belted in the vehicle, but sustained multiple blunt force injuries during the rollover.  The State Medical Examiner’s autopsy report indicates these blunt force injuries were the cause Trooper Toney’s death.  The autopsy report also indicated no presence of alcohol or drugs in Trooper Toney’s body.

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