Crime & Safety
UPDATE: Urbandale Cop Pulls Unconscious Driver from Burning Car
According to police, the 18-year-old Urbandale driver was "doing doughnuts" in a slick church parking lot Sunday night when his car crashed into the building's air conditioning unit and caught fire. The driver was knocked out by the crash
Updated at 11:40 a.m.
Urbandale police officers pulled an unconscious driver from his burning vehicle after it slammed into Urbandale Baptist Church, 6501 Aurora Ave., Sunday evening.
Community Relations Officer Randy Peterson with the Urbandale Police Department said Ian Waseskuk, 18, of Urbandale was "doing doughnuts" in his car in the church parking lot. The car crashed into the church's air conditioning unit at about 10:35 p.m., catching fire and knocking Waseskuk out.
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Officer Zac McDowell was the first to arrive. McDowell made a couple attempts into the vehicle compartment that was full of smoke and fire before he located the unconscious driver and pulled him out of the vehicle Peterson said.
Waseskuk was taken by Urbandale EMS to Mercy Hospital Medical Center for evaluation.
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The investigation showed Waseskuk was doing “doughnuts” in the parking lot and lost control, striking the air conditioning unit on the side of the church. Peterson said the mishap caused $10,000 damage to the church. Waseskuk’s 1995 Buick is a total loss.
Waseskuk will be charged with reckless driving when he is released from the hospital, Peterson said.
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