This is a Message Board Post. Reply to the message or author by clicking on the link below. *************************************************************************** MESSAGE: (#266570) John Chaplin 1932-2000 <http://iagenweb.org/boards/louisa/obituaries/index.cgi?rev=266570> AUTHOR: Daniel R Davis, DATE: 2/16/2010 at 17:36:55 Surnames: CHAPLIN,HAWKINS,FAABORG Source: Muscatine Journal undated with handwritten date of death of 2 Oct 2000. Fruitland, Iowa - Heavy rain near an accident scene on U.S. 61 may have caused a second accident that took the life of a tow truck operator at the scene. John Chaplin, 68, of Wapello, died of massive injuries when he was struck by a vehicle while operating a tow truck to remove a vehicle from the ditch about 10 p.m. Tuesday about 2 1/2 miles south of Fruitland, the Iowa State Patrol reported. A car driven by Cathy Hawkins, 58, of Oakville, already was in the ditch and Chaplin, who works for C & H Auto Towing of Wapello, was working to remove it. Anthony Faaborg, 33, of Middletown, then came upon the accident scene. Due to heavy rain in the area and floodlights from the tow truck lighting the accident scene, Faaborg thought he was meeting a vehicle in his lane, troopers reported. Faaborg took evasive action, which resulted in his car entering the ditch, first striking Hawkin's car and then Chaplin. Chaplin was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. Between 1.25 inches and 1.88 inches were reported in the area Tuesday night, some of the heaviest falling at the time of the accident.