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4 killed, including 2 police officers, in wrong-way crash in Iowa

Posted at 3:54 PM, Mar 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-26 17:54:03-04

By Azadeh Ansari and Tony Marco

CNN

(CNN) -- Four people, including two police officers, were killed in a wrong-way crash on a highway Saturday, according to the Des Moines Police Department.

The officers have been identified as 34-year-old Carlos Puente Morales and 30-year-old Susan Farrell. Both had been on the job less than a year.

The officers were transporting a prisoner when their car was struck head-on by another vehicle driving the wrong way on Interstate 80, the police department said.

Des Moines Police confirmed the prisoner in the police car, along with the driver of the second vehicle, also were killed in the crash. While the driver has not yet been identified, the prisoner has been identified by WHOtv as 32-year-old Tosha Hyatt.

The crash is being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.

Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert said during a press conference, "This is a very sad day for the Des Moines Police Department . . .  Words cannot describe the loss to our organization. We face a nightmare that no one ever wants to experience."

A police spokesperson said the crash scene was, "the worst I've ever seen."

Click here for local coverage of this story from WHOtv, including more information about each of the two officers who were killed.

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