WATERLOO — A deadly crash unfolded in the darkness of an early October morning, but it would be several hours before anyone discovered the wrecked car and its deceased driver along a Waterloo street.
Philip Douglas Houston II, 55, of Des Moines, lost his life Wednesday, October 14, 2026, after his vehicle left the roadway, slammed into a fence and a tree, and finally came to rest against a second tree.
By the time the wreckage was discovered hours later, Houston was dead.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, the fatal crash occurred around 1:10 a.m. near 120 Independence Avenue in Waterloo, Black Hawk County.
Houston was driving a 2013 Ford C-Max eastbound on Independence Avenue when the vehicle veered off the right side of the road.
The car struck a fence and a tree before coming to rest against another tree.
Investigators have not determined what caused Houston to leave the roadway.
Deadly wreck goes undiscovered for hours
One of the most troubling circumstances surrounding the collision was the delay in discovering the wreckage.
The Iowa State Patrol reported that Houston’s vehicle was not found until several hours after the crash.
The patrol did not specify when the vehicle was discovered, who located it or how long Houston had been deceased before emergency responders arrived.
Authorities have also not indicated whether anyone witnessed the collision.
The exact circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.
Driver was not wearing seat belt
The Iowa State Patrol identified Houston as the only person listed in the crash report.
Investigators reported that he was not wearing a seat belt when the collision occurred.
The patrol has not established whether speed, impairment, a medical condition or another factor contributed to the wreck.
Waterloo Fire personnel responded, and Houston’s body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Rasmusson Towing removed the damaged Ford from the scene.
Iowa State Patrol Trooper Amber Long of District 9 is investigating, with assistance from Waterloo police and emergency personnel.
Another fatal collision on Iowa roads
Houston’s death adds to a continuing series of fatal traffic crashes across Iowa.
In May, a 22-year-old Iowa woman died following a head-on collision in Waterloo involving a Jeep and a commercial vehicle.
In June, a deadly collision on Highway 20 near Waterloo claimed another motorist’s life and injured a Grundy Center woman.
And in August, a Northern Iowa truck driver was killed when his semi crashed through a fence, struck a tree and erupted in flames.
The October 14 Waterloo crash remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.
According to preliminary Iowa Department of Transportation figures, 225 people had died in traffic crashes across Iowa through October 15, 2026.