Crash claims life.....1992

CHORPENING, BLAESS, BENTLER

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 11/21/2025 at 00:02:58

(Under picture of wreck)
Thursday, August 13, 1992

This was the scene at the accident Friday morning, August 7 that claims the life of 16-year-old Eric Chorpening of Wayland, Iowa. He was a passenger in the car which struck the rear of a trailer on County Line blacktop W46 north of Farmington. The car's driver sustained minor injuries. The driver of the truck was not injured.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Crash claims life of 16-year-old Wayland boy

Eric Chorpening, 16 of Wayland, Iowa was killed in an accident at 8:20 a.m. Friday, August 7, two miles south of J40 on W46 north of Farmington.

Chorpening was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Roy Blaess, 17, of rural Wayland, Iowa.

The Van Buren County Sheriff's office reported that Blaess struck a trailer owned by the mt. Hamill elevator pulled by a pickup truck driven by Gerald Bentler (no age given) of Mt. Hamill, Iowa.

Chorpening was transported by the Farmington EMT ambulance to the Van Buren County Hospital, Keosauqua, where he was pronounced dead as a result of injuries suffered in the accident.

Blaess was transported to the same hospital and treated for minor injuries. Bentler was not injured.

The accident remains under investigation by the Van Buren County Sheriff's office and the Iowa State Patrol. Also on the scene were the Bonaparte First Responders and the Jaws of Life.

Source: "Scrapbook 1991 - 1992", Pg. 169 & 1970,
Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA