IA IA - David Schultz, 53, Wall Lake, 21 November 2023

[JerseyWasHome2]

Wife thinks foul play led Sac County hog trucker to vanish - Storm Lake Times Pilot

“He’s not on drugs. He doesn't have any enemies. He doesn't owe anybody money except the bank,” Sarah said. “He would never wake up and leave his family.”

www.stormlake.com

Notice the truck isn't described as "new." It's described as "Dave’s other truck, only steps away from being repaired."

I can't speak to David's insurance, but a lot of insurance won't cover Acts of God unless you pay extra for that coverage.

Thanks for the link. It's hard for me to tell what she meant. Rigs are $$$$$ so I imagine many truckers buy them used and have to put a bit of work into them.

Very true about insurance and options and such. I know that if you live in a flood zone with a high probability of flooding, you absolutely have to purchase flood insurance on your home if it's mortgaged. Not sure how it works in tornado-prone areas for vehicles.

I guess it's possible he's had the blue one in the shop for almost 2.5 years (repainted yellow) and that he had to purchase the red one in the meantime to be able to keep on working.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Thanks for the link. It's hard for me to tell what she meant. Rigs are $$$$$ so I imagine many truckers buy them used and have to put a bit of work into them.

Very true about insurance and options and such. I know that if you live in a flood zone with a high probability of flooding, you absolutely have to purchase flood insurance on your home if it's mortgaged. Not sure how it works in tornado-prone areas for vehicles.

I guess it's possible he's had the blue one in the shop for almost 2.5 years (repainted yellow) and that he had to purchase the red one in the meantime to be able to keep on working.

I guess the question is how much damage would be done to a truck when tipped over by a tornado. I don't know enough about trucks to know what kind of damage would make it a write-off.

The blue truck didn't look irreparable in the video showing the tornado aftermath, but it's hard to tell.

 

[darring21]

Insurance would cover the tornado and I would guess he used the insurance payment from the tornado damaged truck to buy the one he was currently using. To get the old one repaired, he had to get a loan. IMO

 

[Joe Friday]

I think the "new" truck may have actually been the original blue truck, newly-repaired after it was damaged by the tornado.

But either way, it would be expensive and David took out a bank loan for it. Sarah even said one of the first things she did on finding out David was missing was contact the bank about his loan. And the fundraising pages were launched almost immediately.

Whether it's suspicious or not, money does seem to loom large in this case.

Owing money to the bank if related to the trucks is likely from having to suddenly purchase a replacement truck to use since the blue truck was damaged beyond being operational when the tornado swept it into the ditch. Without a truck David would be out of business. David likely had insurance on the blue truck, but the amount of money he received might not have covered the cost of the red truck and he then needed to take out a loan to cover the difference.

If David bought back the blue truck from the insurance company if it was indeed totaled. That would have lessened the money he would have received from the insurance company. Either way he needed to buy a new truck.

Leasing or renting a truck would be an option, but an expensive one, until he was able to find a new to him used truck to purchase.

By the looks of the red truck, David bought a nice truck, which cost him some money.

May also have home loans, car loan, credit card debt, ect.

JMO

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Owing money to the bank if related to the trucks is likely from having to suddenly purchase a replacement truck to use since the blue truck was damaged beyond being operational when the tornado swept it into the ditch. Without a truck David would be out of business. David likely had insurance on the blue truck, but the amount of money he received might not have covered the cost of the red truck and he then needed to take out a loan to cover the difference.

If David bought back the blue truck from the insurance company if it was indeed totaled. That would have lessened the money he would have received from the insurance company. Either way he needed to buy a new truck.

Leasing or renting a truck would be an option, but an expensive one, until he was able to find a new to him used truck to purchase.

By the looks of the red truck, David bought a nice truck, which cost him some money.

May also have home loans, car loan, credit card debt, ect.

JMO

Why would he need a second truck, then, if he had purchased the red truck after the tornado so he could keep working? Why then take out a loan for repairs on the previous truck? Do truckers typically have 2 rigs, so that if one goes into the shop, they can keep working for a few weeks? Or maybe his plan was to sell the red truck once his blue-now-yellow rig was returned.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

David's trucks are yet another question amongst the many in this case.

I said it earlier and I'll say it again: instead of answering questions, more information just seems to create even more.

 

[ifindedout]

I guess the question is how much damage would be done to a truck when tipped over by a tornado. I don't know enough about trucks to know what kind of damage would make it a write-off.

The blue truck didn't look irreparable in the video showing the tornado aftermath, but it's hard to tell.

There could be significant damage to the engine, transmission or other mechanical components.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

What are the odds of a man's semi, loaded with pigs, being picked up and dumped by a tornado, then a couple years later, the same man's semi, loaded with pigs, ends up abandoned on the road? I'm not inferring anything, I'm simply astonished at two unlikely events both happening to the same person.

<modsnip - quoted post and response was removed>
<Concerning> having his truck overturned, it seems like it cost him a fortune.
It is not strange, unlikely or unusual for a truck to overturn in high winds or a tornado, farms and houses suffered damage at the same time. Since transporting hogs/pigs is a daily occurrence in Iowa, trucks loaded with pigs are going to be in accidents.
Only 1 event (that we know of) involving this victim is strange.

"As of March 2023, Iowa had an inventory of about 23.5 million hogs and pigs, making it the top producer of swine in the country by a large margin."

U.S. states by number of hogs and pigs 2023 | Statista

Hogs and pigs are one of the main sources of meat in the United States, and there is a thriving domestic pork market.

www.statista.com

 

[Joe Friday]

Why would he need a second truck, then, if he had purchased the red truck after the tornado so he could keep working? Why then take out a loan for repairs on the previous truck? Do truckers typically have 2 rigs, so that if one goes into the shop, they can keep working for a few weeks? Or maybe his plan was to sell the red truck once his blue-now-yellow rig was returned.

Likely bought the blue truck back from the insurance company cheap with the intention of fixing, selling and making money.

Might have also thought about fixing the blue truck and hiring a driver and running a two truck operation if David knew he could count on enough work to suppord another truck and driver to make himself more money.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Likely bought the blue truck back from the insurance company cheap with the intention of fixing, selling and making money.

Might have also thought about fixing the blue truck and hiring a driver and running a two truck operation if David knew he could count on enough work to suppord another truck and driver to make himself more money.

Interesting idea. Makes sense.

 

[Knitty]

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