Looking in at Iowa

Image via Wikipedia

5/1/08 UPDATE: Gazette obituary here.

~~

UPDATE: Steve Baumgartner is actually from Oelwein, Iowa, not Maquoketa, as reported earlier.

Four videos in past month appear on Steve’s MySpace videos page.

Also, here is a photo of Steve

050514-N-5526M-012 14, April 2005 Fire controlman Steven Baumgartner from Oelwein, Iowa, assigned to Combat Systems Department aboard the Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), fires the twin .50 Caliper Machine Gun during a pre aimed calibration (PAC) fire exercise. …

4/30 UPDATE: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier has additional information about Steve Baumgartner from family: Former Oelwein man killed in street luge accident

~~

April 28, 2008

From Kansas City Star:

Kansas City, Kan., police have identified the man killed Saturday while riding a street luge as 28-year-old Steve Baumgarter of Iowa.

Authorities said Baumgarter had come to the area to participate in an unsanctioned race on Sunday. The race was canceled after his death. …

KCCI reports that he was from Maquoketa:

The accident happened about 8 p.m. Saturday in Rosedale Park and killed Steve Baumgarter, of Maquoketa.

Friends of the victim said he was a Navy petty officer 1st Class who was home on leave. …

And from KMBC (includes video news report):

According to police, Steve Baumgarter was preparing for the unsanctioned event. He was going down a road on a luge about five feet long when he lost control and hit a tree. He died on impact.

Friends of the victim said he was a Navy petty officer 1st Class, who was home on leave.

Investigators said Baumgarter was wearing a helmet as well as protective leather.