WAPELLO COUNTY — Two Florida truckers were hurt Wednesday afternoon when their semi trucks collided on a remote stretch of Highway 63 in southeast Iowa, including one driver who had recently been stopped and cited for a traffic violation in Northern Iowa’s Worth County.
The crash happened after one of the semis stopped to make a left turn and the second truck struck it from behind.
A 2025 Freightliner Cascadia driven by 52-year-old Smith Cerelus of Green Acres, Florida, was stopped facing north on Highway 63 and preparing to turn left into a driveway access.
A second northbound semi, a 2016 Freightliner Cascadia driven by 55-year-old Kongkeo Nhangphayboun of St. Petersburg, Florida, failed to avoid the stopped truck and struck it from behind, according to the State Patrol.
Both semis came to rest on Highway 63.
Both drivers were injured.
Nhangphayboun had to be extricated from his truck with hydraulic rescue tools and was later flown by Mercy AirMed to a Des Moines hospital for treatment. Cerelus was taken by ambulance to Ottumwa Regional Health Center. The extent of their injuries was not immediately released.
The crash shut down that portion of Highway 63 for nearly four hours while emergency personnel worked at the scene.
Both men were wearing seat belts. The State Patrol report specifically indicates that their seat belts saved their lives.
The trucks were both towed by Deran’s Towing.
The State Patrol identified Maraspeed Logistics Inc. of Homer Glen, Illinois, as the motor carrier involved in the crash. No hazardous materials were reported.
The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, Ottumwa Police Department, Wapello County Rural Fire Department, Wapello County Emergency Management Agency, ORMICS, MercyOne Air Med, Deran’s Towing and the Iowa Department of Transportation were among those assisting at the scene.
Trooper Crouse of Iowa State Patrol Post 13 investigated the crash.
NORTHERN IOWA TRAFFIC VIOLATION FOR CERELUS
Court records provided to NIT show Cerelus had also recently faced a traffic citation in Northern Iowa’s Worth County.
Cerelus was cited for failure to obey a traffic control device stemming from a June 20, 2026 offense.
The Worth County case was created June 24, and court records show Cerelus entered a guilty plea or default disposition on August 21.
The scheduled violation carried a $135 fine, $55 in court costs and a $20.25 surcharge, for a total of $210.25. Records show he has paid nothing on the balance so far.
A separate charge alleging operation without a registration card or plate was dismissed.
The Worth County matter was unrelated to Wednesday’s Highway 63 crash, but it marks another recent Iowa traffic incident involving the Florida trucker.
The August 19 crash remains under investigation.