BLAIRSBURG — One person was killed and two others were injured in a multi-vehicle pileup on US Highway 69 in Hamilton County Friday morning.

The accident involved three vehicles, including an anhydrous ammonia semi-trailer. None of the hazardous chemicals were released as a result of the crash. A fourth vehicle ended up in a ditch.

The Iowa State Patrol identified the dead man as Cole Lantz, 27, of Williams.

The injured individuals were identified as Carlos Vielman Castillo, 51, of Postville, and Jilmer Vielman Monroy, 28, of Belmond. Both were taken to Van Diest Medical Center in Webster City.

The crash happened at 6:30 a.m. on US Highway 69 near 180th Street.

Just before the crash, three vehicles were traveling in a line northbound on the highway, said Lt. Aaron Smidt of the State Patrol.

Lantz was driving the other vehicle in that row. He moved his 2021 Jeep Renegade into the southbound lane in an attempt to pass the first vehicle in line, the State Patrol reported. His vehicle then collided head-on with a southbound 2011 Ram 2500 pickup driven by Castillo, troopers said. Monroy was a passenger in the pickup.

Smidt said the first vehicle in the first line of vehicles continued north, and its driver was apparently unaware that there had been a crash.

The driver of the third vehicle took evasive action to avoid the crash, Smidt said. The vehicle ended up in the ditch, but the driver was uninjured, he said.

The truck carrying anhydrous ammonia was a southbound 2024 Freightliner. Its driver, Justin Norton, 32, of Belmond, swerved to the center of the highway to avoid the crash, the State Patrol reported. Smidt said the front passenger side of the truck struck the wrecked pickup truck. He said the truck was damaged, but Norton was unharmed and no anhydrous ammonia came out.