FrankYounesLawyerReviews.comWhat happened
A Boone man was killed and a 3-year-old child suffered life-threatening injuries in a head-on crash on South Story Street in Boone Sunday night. According to KQ Radio and WHO13, Iowa State Patrol troopers responded to the 1500 block of South Story Street just before 9:30 p.m. Sunday. A Jeep Renegade driven by Joshua Burns, 45, was traveling southbound on Story Street when it left the roadway, going over the curb on the west side of the street and into a ditch, before returning to the road and crossing into the northbound lane, where it collided head-on with a Ford Edge driven by 27-year-old Jessica Slaton of Madrid. Burns died from his injuries at the scene. A 3-year-old child riding in the Ford suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital; a 7-month-old also riding in the Ford was injured and taken by ground ambulance to a nearby hospital. The Iowa State Patrol's investigation into the crash remains ongoing. (KQ Radio; WHO13)
Our condolences
A Sunday night drive turned into every family's worst fear when this crash left a young child fighting for her life and a family grieving the sudden loss of Joshua Burns. Our thoughts are with the Burns family as they process this loss, and with the Slaton family as their two youngest members receive urgent medical care. No parent should have to sit at a hospital bedside wondering whether their baby or toddler will recover from injuries suffered in a crash they had no part in causing.
Safety context
Head-on collisions are among the most violent and unforgiving crashes on any road, because the combined speed of both vehicles is absorbed in a single impact. Nationally, head-on collisions are the most harmful event in approximately 14 percent of all traffic fatalities every year, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). A vehicle drifting off the road, even briefly, can be a warning sign of a driver who is drowsy, distracted, or medically impaired — other drivers who notice a vehicle weaving or leaving the roadway ahead of them should slow down and give as much distance as possible until it's safe to pass or pull over.
The rights of families after a crash like this
In crashes like this one, when a vehicle leaves its own lane and strikes an oncoming vehicle head-on, the driver who crossed the center line is often found responsible for the resulting harm, since Iowa law requires drivers to maintain control of their vehicle and stay within their lane of travel. Here, the reporting says the Jeep left the roadway, entered a ditch, returned to the road, and then crossed into the oncoming lane where it struck the Ford — if that account holds up, the Slaton family, including the two injured children, may have a claim against the estate and insurer of the Jeep's driver. Why the Jeep left the roadway in the first place — whether due to a medical emergency, distraction, fatigue, impairment, or something else — has not been reported, and the Iowa State Patrol's investigation is still open. Nothing here should be read as a final determination of fault.
Learn more about your rights: Car Accident Claims in Omaha · Wrongful Death Claims
How I help families in crisis
When a crash leaves a baby or toddler fighting to recover, or takes a father or husband in an instant, families are thrown into a crisis they never prepared for. My job is to take that stress off a family's shoulders, take up the shield to protect and advocate for the rights of the people I represent, and guide them through one of the hardest chapters of their lives — while they focus on their children's recovery and on each other. I move quickly to gather evidence like the crash reconstruction, witness statements, and medical records before any of it is lost, and I deal directly with insurance companies so my clients don't have to fight that battle themselves.
I've recovered more than $23 million for injured people and their families, and I'm proud of the trust reflected in countless five-star client reviews and peer endorsements, including Best of Omaha for personal injury in both 2025 and 2026.
If you or someone you love was affected by this crash or one like it, I offer a free, no-pressure conversation, and if I take your case, there's no fee unless I win.
Related coverage
71-Year-Old Boone Woman Dies After Failure-to-Yield Crash at Highway 30 and Corporal Snedden Drive
Two Seriously Injured in Head-On Crash on Highway 18 in Floyd County, Iowa
Cedar Rapids Driver, 81, Killed in Head-On Crash on Highway 52 at Double J Lane in Dubuque County