ANKENY, Iowa — In a moment that feels impossible to believe, the Des Moines area lost someone who radiated hope and warmth. On Tuesday afternoon, 19-year-old Emilie Anne VanWinkle died when the car she was driving collided with a semi parked on the shoulder of Interstate 35. The loss has left her community reeling — her dreams, silenced.
Shortly before 3:30 p.m., Emilie was heading northbound near mile marker 100.9 in her 2002 Mercury Sable when she lost control and struck the rear of a disabled semi that was stopped on the outside shoulder. The force of the collision was devastating, and despite the rapid arrival of first responders, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Thankfully, no one else was hurt.
Investigators are still piecing together exactly what caused Emilie to lose control. Early assessments point to speed and roadway conditions as possible contributors — a deadly mix when drivers are least expecting danger near shoulders. For now, the case remains under investigation as authorities carefully reconstruct the crash.
News of her passing quickly sent shockwaves through schools, neighborhoods, and social circles across Des Moines and beyond. Friends, classmates, teachers — all are struggling to process that someone so full of promise is gone. Those closest to her say she was the sort of person whose presence lifted people up: gentle, caring, with a laugh that drew others in.
“She made you feel seen,” one friend recalled, voice tight with grief. “You couldn’t help but smile when she was around. It’s unbearable that she’s gone.” In those words echo the heartbreak of many who had hoped to witness all the chapters she still had to write.
As the community grieves, the Iowa State Patrol is urging drivers to slow down, stay alert, and give extra space — especially when passing or encountering stopped vehicles along highways. Even a brief distraction or small misstep can spiral into tragedy.
In these dark days, Emilie’s family, friends, and community are holding tight to her memory. She will be remembered not just for the light she shared, but for the compassion she showed in small everyday moments — already gone too soon, but never forgotten.