Early morning mishap shuts down FM bridge

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - An early morning accident on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe swingspan bridge in Fort Madison has resulted in the arrest of an Illinois woman.

Fort Madison Police arrested Ashley Mariah Olson, 33, of Wilmington, Ill., on a warrant after investigating the crash site.

According to Fort Madison Police Chief Mark Rohloff, Olson allegedly bypassed warning alarms and struck the barricade on the bridge. The bridge was opened to allow the passage of a boat at the time.

Olson was taken by ambulance to Fort Madison Community Hospital with injury complaints. She was driving a 2002 Volkswagen GTI, which Rohloff said was heavily damaged and towed from the scene.

"The impact also caused substantial damage to the barricade effectively closing the bridge to motor vehicle traffic until repairs could be made," Rohloff said.

He said police reports also indicate alcohol was present and additional charges may be filed pending the results of a chemical analysis. Olson was also arrested on a warrant for failure to appear out of Des Moines County.

Rohloff said the bridge should be open for traffic this afternoon and repairs are underway.