Cab driver, passenger and man accused of causing wreck are all injured in Thursday incident.
By JOHN MANGALONZO (www.TheHawkeye.com)
Shortly after being treated in the hospital, a 45-year-old Burlington man was arrested Thursday afternoon on allegations he intentionally rammed his pickup head-on into a taxi, injuring the cab driver and a passenger.
Donald McClanahan was booked in the Des Moines County jail on initial charges of willful injury, leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving left of center and reckless driving. Police said they found drugs in the man’s pocket that netted him additional charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police Sgt. Chad Zahn said officers were called to Central and Valley streets at approximately 2:51 p.m. Thursday on an initial report of a hit-and-run crash.
McClanahan, according to police, was driving a full-size pickup southbound on the road when he crossed over to the center line and started to drive north. Witnesses reportedly told officers McClanahan accelerated his speed into the path of a northbound A2Z taxi, colliding with it head-on.
The man apparently left on foot after the crash and was found walking nearby.
The identities of the cab driver and a passenger, both of whom were taken to Great River Medical Center, were not available late Thursday afternoon. Their conditions are unknown.
It remains unclear what caused McClanahan to accelerate the truck in the wrong lane. Police, however, are calling it intentional, based on witness accounts.
