Man dies after crashing vehicle into home; driver identified

ANKENY, Iowa — An Iowa motorist died early Saturday after crashing a vehicle into a home, which caused the car to burst into flames, authorities said.

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According to a news release from the Ankeny Police Department, the crash occurred at about 1:40 a.m. CDT. Officers responding to the scene said they found the vehicle in the basement of the home, engulfed in flames.

Update 9:53 p.m. EDT April 10: Police in Ankeny, Iowa, identified the motorist as James Shafer II, 21, of Ankeny, the Des Moines Register reported. Shafer was the only person in the car when it crashed, according to the newspaper.

Original report: The residents of the home were able to evacuate safely, but the driver was trapped in the burning vehicle, the Des Moines Register reported.

Officials were unsure if there were any passengers in the vehicle, the news release stated.

The homeowners and two police officers were treated for smoke inhalation but did not require hospitalization, KCCI-TV reported. Officials at the scene attempted to extract the vehicle from the basement but said the structure was unstable, the news release stated.

The Ankeny Fire Department is assisting police in the investigation, the Register reported.