TRUCK DRIVER PLEADS GUILTY AFTER WATCHING NETFLIX BEFORE CRASH THAT KILLED IOWA COUPLE

Matthew and Cimberly Hansen were traveling to visit family when a loaded semitruck slammed into their car in a Minnesota construction zone. Investigators say the driver had been streaming a Netflix show and never applied his brakes.

A truck driver has pleaded guilty to killing an Iowa husband and wife after investigators uncovered evidence that he was streaming Netflix while approaching slowed traffic on Interstate 35 in Minnesota.

Billy Joe Grimes, 57, entered guilty pleas on October 26, 2026, to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm.

The charges stem from an August 25, 2023, collision near Faribault, Minnesota, that claimed the lives of Matthew Henry Hansen, 57, and his wife, Cimberly Ellen Hansen, 56, both from Urbandale, Iowa.

Grimes is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2027. No sentence has yet been imposed.

A FAMILY JOURNEY ENDED IN A DEVASTATING CRASH

The Hansens were traveling north on Interstate 35 to visit family when the collision happened shortly after 1:30 p.m.

Traffic ahead had slowed for a construction zone where the highway narrowed to one lane in each direction. A Chevrolet pickup pulling a flatbed trailer was also traveling through the area.

Behind them was Grimes, driving a loaded 2021 Volvo semitruck.

Investigators determined that the truck slammed into the back of the Hansens’ red Toyota Camry with tremendous force. The car was crushed and thrown into a ditch.

The semitruck continued forward, striking the pickup and its trailer before the vehicles crossed a barbed-wire fence toward nearby railroad tracks.

Witnesses rushed to help. Cimberly was already dead when they reached the couple’s vehicle. Matthew initially showed signs of life, but witnesses reported that his pulse disappeared within minutes.

The pickup driver survived with injuries, including a bump to the head and shoulder pain.

INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER NETFLIX STREAMING

When questioned after the crash, Grimes told Minnesota State Patrol troopers that he had looked down shortly before the collision.

He claimed that when he looked up again, the Toyota was directly in front of him and he did not have enough time to stop because of the weight of his load. He denied watching anything on his phone.

However, investigators later reviewed footage from cameras inside the truck and roadside surveillance systems.

The evidence showed Grimes streaming the Netflix series Rust Valley Restorers as he approached the construction zone. Investigators concluded that the streaming had been taking place for at least 20 minutes before the collision.

The investigation also found that Grimes had passed five construction-warning signs over approximately five miles, including two signs equipped with flashing lights.

A crash reconstruction determined that the semitruck’s cruise control was set between approximately 67 and 68 mph. Investigators found no evidence that Grimes applied the brakes before striking the vehicles ahead.

A GUILTY PLEA AFTER YEARS OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Grimes was initially charged in April 2024 with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation.

He initially denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty before changing his plea on October 26, 2026.

His guilty pleas mean the case will proceed to sentencing rather than a trial.

He is due back in court on March 16, 2027, when a judge will determine the consequences of the offenses.

A HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO BUILT A LIFE TOGETHER

Beyond the courtroom proceedings, Matthew and Cimberly Hansen are remembered by their family as devoted parents, grandparents and partners who shared decades of life together.

The couple met while attending Iowa State University and went on to build their home and family in the Des Moines area.

They raised four children and enjoyed spending time outdoors, traveling, camping and visiting their children and grandchildren.

Family trips became an important part of their lives, with journeys taking them from the Grand Canyon to Niagara Falls and many places in between.

In later years, they continued exploring the world and making memories with the people they loved most.

Their family remembered them for their strong commitment to faith, family and the outdoors — values that shaped the life they built together.

A TRAGEDY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED

The guilty plea brings a significant development in a case that began more than three years ago.

For the Hansen family, however, no court decision can restore the two people who were taken from them while they were simply traveling to see loved ones.

Matthew and Cimberly had spent decades building a life together and raising a family. Their journey that August afternoon was supposed to be another ordinary visit with relatives.

Instead, their four children and grandchildren were left to carry on without them.

Two lives, one family and decades of shared memories — all lost in a collision that investigators say happened while a truck driver was watching a television show instead of watching the road. 🤍