2 Des Moines Police Officers Killed in Wrong-Way Crash: Cops

WAUKEE, IA - Two Des Moines police officers were among four people killed in a wrong-way crash overnight when they were returning a prisoner from Council Bluffs to Des Moines, police said.

According to police, the officers were driving eastbound when they were struck head-on by a vehicle going the wrong way on interstate 80 around 12:40 a.m. The prisoner in the police vehicle and the driver of the second vehicle were also killed in the crash.

The two officers killed in the crash were identified as Officer Carlos Puente Morales, 34, and Officer Susan Farrell, 30. Both Morales and Farrell had graduated from the Des Moines Regional Police Academy in Oct. 2015.

Police have not released the names of the other two victims in the crash. The crash is being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.

“Our hearts are heavy this Easter weekend on the news of an early morning crash on Interstate 80,” Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said in a statement. “We’re learning that the crash took the lives of two young Des Moines police officers who dedicated their lives to protecting public safety and were killed in the line of duty. Chris and I wish to extend our sincere sympathies to the families of everyone impacted in this horrific accident.”

Branstad added that he would issue a statement later in the week on lowering flags to half-staff.

In March, at least two other officers have lost their lives in the line of duty in traffic-related incidents. A Massachusetts State Trooper died March 17 after a speeding car crashed into his stationary vehicle during a traffic stop. Just two days before that a Florida deputy was killed in a wrong-way crash.

Pictured Left: Officer Morales, Pictured Right: Officer Farrell, Images courtesy Des Moines Police