WILLIAMS — A Mason City man is dead following a Tuesday afternoon accident on Interstate 35 near Williams.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, a northbound 2019 Ford Fiesta driven by Reed Peterson, 68, crossed the median near mile marker 147 and struck the rear trailer tires of a southbound 2000 Volvo semitrailer operated by Serghei Gornostali of Bartlett, Illinois.

Following the first impact, Peterson’s vehicle was struck a second time by a 2021 Freightliner semi driven by Funugo Nsanzinfura of Louisville, Kentucky, troopers reported. That second impact was so violent it knocked the engine out of the Ford Fiesta.

A fourth vehicle, a 2016 GMC Yukon driven by Caleb Jacobsen, of Dows, then struck the engine and the Freightliner truck.

The GMC Yukon and the Freightliner truck ended up in the ditch on the west side of the highway. The Volvo truck stopped on the shoulder of the road, while the Ford Fiesta remained on the highway.

The crash happened at 2:42 p.m.

Peterson was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Gornostali, Nsanzinfura, and Jacobsen were all treated for their injuries and later released.

The crash temporarily shut down traffic on I-35.

The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.