MINDEN, IOWA – An Iowa State Patrol trooper is lucky to be alive after being caught in a tornado that ripped through a small town.
Trooper Dustin Pieken found himself trapped in a whirlwind of tornado debris that crashed through his patrol car window near Minden on April 26, 2024.
“With remarkable creativity, he cleverly utilized whatever was nearby in order to continue through his night shift, supporting the victims of the catastrophic tornado,” the Iowa State Patrol reported. His cruiser, as seen in the photo at the top of this story, was battered in the storm.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Pottawattamie County in response to this tornado and the severe weather that occurred on April 26. The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program.
In an update, on April 29, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for eight additional counties in response to severe weather that occurred on April 26. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program for the following counties: Clarke, Crawford, Harrison, Mills, Polk, Ringgold, Shelby, and Union. A disaster proclamation was previously issued for Pottawattamie County on April 26.
(TOP PHOTO via Iowa State Patrol)
