Driver Slams Into Iowa Trooper's Cruiser

ELKHART, Iowa --

Investigators said weather was not a factor in a chain reaction crash along Interstate 35 north of Des Moines.

Police said a state trooper was helping drivers involved in a crash near Elkhart when his patrol car was hit by another vehicle. That set off a series of crashes as far north as the Slater exit, causing traffic to quickly back up.

Officers said there were no serious injuries and that the trooper was checked out for back and neck pain.

The state patrol said traffic eventually began to clear up and was moving normally by Tuesday night.

Copyright 2011 by KCCI.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.