A pheasant is thought to the be the cause of a single-vehicle crash in southern Greene County that killed a Des Moines early Friday.
According to information from the Iowa State Patrol, Theodore Wayne Sanford McGinnis, 30, of Des Moines was southbound on County Road P-14 (J Ave) just north of County Road E-63 in Greenbrier Township when he apparently struck a pheasant. He veered his 2007 Chevrolet Impala to the west shoulder, and then over-corrected and entered the east ditch.
McGinnis was alone in the vehicle. The crash is believed to have occurred between 4:30 and 5 am. Greene County dispatch was first notified of the crash at 6 am. McGinnis was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a seatbelt.
