The father of Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander died in a car crash Thursday afternoon.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, Gene Chinander, 69, was driving on a highway near Allison, Iowa, when he failed to stop at an intersection. His truck left the road and entered a parking lot, crashing into a parked semi trailer.
Chinander was pronounced dead at the scene.
KLIN contacted the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in Allison, who said Deputy Collin Freesemann was first on the scene.
“Within just a couple minutes, I was there,” Freesemann said.
Freesemann said a witness estimated Chinander went through the intersection at about 60 miles per hour, much higher than normal for someone familiar with the area.
“This stop sign is literally a mile from his house,” Freesemann said. “Gene was a driver’s ed instructor. It’s a common place to know that stop sign.”
Medical examiners are working to determine if a medical event prior to the crash factored into the high rate of speed ahead of the intersection.
“I’m hoping that they are able to determine something by early next week,” Freeseman said. “I’m absolutely confident in (a medical event causing the crash).
“There’s just no way this just was Gene Chinander didn’t know there was a stop sign and ran through it. No chance.”
Chinander was a staple in the Allison community, a town of just over 1,000 people. The retired school teacher was still a substitute on a regular basis and helping out with the local football team.