The morning of Tuesday, November 4, brought tragedy to the rural roads just west of Spencer, Iowa. At approximately 7:23 a.m., a west-bound 2017 Chevrolet Traverse driven by 35-year-old Spencer resident Ryan Cundiff crossed the centerline on County Road B24 and collided head-on with a 2014 GMC Acadia traveling east.
The impact proved fatal for Cundiff, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Acadia, identified as 20-year-old Gabriel Campbell of Hartley, and a five-year-old child passenger in Cundiff’s vehicle were both transported to a hospital in Spencer for treatment of their injuries. Their current medical status has not been publicly released.
Details from the Iowa State Patrol indicate that Cundiff was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. Troopers continue to investigate the cause, including why his vehicle veered across the centerline and what other factors may have contributed.
For the tight-knit Spencer community, Cundiff’s sudden loss is especially painful. His friends and family remember him as a loving father and active community member—someone many depended on and admired. News of his passing rippled through local networks as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the gravity of choices we make behind the wheel.
Officials are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or who saw the vehicles moments before impact, to reach out to the Iowa State Patrol. Any information may help clarify how the crash unfolded and whether factors such as speed, distraction, or road conditions played a role.
The intersection of County Road B24 and 190th Avenue — located on the west edge of Spencer in Clay County — has now become the site of sorrow and questions. While investigation continues, the community is left to grieve, support one another, and reflect on how quickly life can change on rural highways where traffic may still carry risks as high as any urban thoroughfare.
Ryan Cundiff, born in 1989 and passing in 2025, leaves behind those who loved him and a town shaken by the sudden void of his presence. May his memory serve not only as a tribute to the man he was but also as a reminder of the importance of every safety measure on the road.
