Carroll County, IA — April 14, 2024, Pedro Castro and a teen were killed and Carlos Castro was injured in a tractor accident at about 10:30 p.m. on Hawthorne Avenue.

Authorities said a Hyundai Santa Fe was headed north when it was hit by a John Deere tractor that was trying to cross the road on 220th Street. The tractor continued east after the collision.

The Hyundai driver, a 17-year-old boy, and passenger Pedro Castro, 56, were killed in the crash west of Carroll, while another passenger, 24-year-old Carlos Castro, suffered critical injuries, according to authorities.

The tractor driver has been charged with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Carroll County crash. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Crashes involving farm equipment on rural roads are tragically common, but what sets this one apart is not just the outcome: it’s the alleged decision by the tractor driver to leave the scene after two people were killed and another critically injured.

From a legal perspective, leaving the scene of a crash involving death is among the most serious charges a driver can face, especially when operating a piece of heavy machinery like a tractor. The law is clear: If you're involved in a crash, especially one that results in injury or death, you stop. You render aid. You call for help. Failing to do that isn’t just a violation of law: it’s a failure of basic responsibility.

But beyond the hit-and-run element, the circumstances of the crash raise important safety questions about how farm vehicles are operated at night. Rural intersections can be poorly lit and lightly marked, but that’s exactly why tractors crossing public roads are required to have proper lighting, reflective markings and signage. At 10:30 p.m., visibility is already a concern, so the question becomes: Was the tractor visible? Was it traveling at an appropriate speed? Did the driver stop and yield as required before entering the intersection?

Tractors aren’t required to meet the same standards as highway vehicles, but when they operate on public roads, they still carry a legal duty to do so safely. That means using lights, warning equipment and exercising extreme caution, especially at night. And when a crash happens, accountability doesn’t stop at impact. It continues with what the driver does next.

In the end, this isn’t just about a collision between a vehicle and a tractor. It’s about a failure to operate farm equipment responsibly and a failure to respond when lives were on the line. Two people are gone, a third is fighting for his life and the questions that remain aren’t just about how the crash happened. They’re about why someone chose to drive away from it. That choice now defines the investigation, and it’s where accountability must begin.