Highway 65 in Polk County, Iowa partially closed due to crash [Video]

POLK COUNTY, Iowa — One person was killed in a Thursday crash along Highway 65 near Pleasant Hill, police said.

The crash happened shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday near University Avenue (Highway 163) and involved several vehicles. The Pleasant Hill Police Department said that people had to be pulled from their cars and a medical helicopter was called to the scene.

As one car driving north tried to merge, it struck another northbound vehicle, sending both into the median and over into the southbound lanes of traffic, Pleasant Hill PD said.

Those cars crashed into two additional vehicles, resulting in four people being transported to the hospital. Three of the four were “treated and released,” the department added.

Leonard Ochylski of Pleasant Hill died from his injuries.

Drivers were asked to avoid Highway 65 between University Avneue and I-80 on Thursday and find an …