A heartbroken Waterloo father on Monday chastised and cursed an 18-year-old Iowa City man who, along with another teen, caused a fatal crash that killed his 22-year-old daughter on May 27, 2023.
Matt Russell, father of Jennifer Russell, chastised Elijah Seals, during Seals’ sentencing, for leaving the crash scene and never showing any remorse for drag racing that night with Kesean Ford, who also is charged. Seals and Ford crashed into Jennifer’s vehicle, which was stopped at the intersection of S. Seventh Avenue and E. Court Street.
“We have suffered so much pain and sorrow,” Matt Russell said. “We lost a big part of our life. I hate you and wish you were dead. She was the best daughter. Rot in hell.”
Tyler Russell, Jennifer’s brother, in his victim impact statement, accused Seals of taking a “coward’s way out” for not admitting guilt, instead taking an Alford plea. The death of his sister has shattered his and his families’ future. It turned their “world upside down.”
The brother said he hoped the “agony” Seals caused will “haunt you for the rest of your life. Hope the memory of her haunts you every day.”
“She was here and then she was gone on that horrific night,” said Kelly Russell, Jennifer’s mother, while tearing up throughout her statement.
Kelly was on the phone with Jennifer, who was using a Bluetooth device to talk on her way home from work that night. She had just started as a manager at Jethro’s BBQ in Coralville. Kelly Russell said she didn’t know what happened to her daughter. She heard noises in the background and a man yelling. She thought her daughter was being abducted.
She and her husband were panicked. They jumped in the car and started tracking their daughter’s phone and driving to Iowa City. Then, her husband got a call from the hospital saying Jennifer had been in a crash and she didn’t survive.
“I think about that cruel and unbelievable moment she was at that intersection,” Kelly Russell said. “What were you thinking? Did you see her car? And you walked away without injury. So unfair.”
They had to wait 18 months and “this wasn’t the justice we were seeking. This wasn’t an accident. Never an accident. It was violent, senseless, horrific crash.”
Many family members and friends filled one half the courtroom on Monday. Seals’ family and friends also attended the sentencing.
In September, Seals made an Alford plea to one count of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving, a felony, which carries a 10-year prison term. An Alford plea is when a defendant maintains innocence but admits the prosecution has enough evidence to convict.
Seals originally was charged with involuntary manslaughter and two other charges of homicide by vehicle-drag racing and homicide by vehicle-excessive speed by going 25 mph over the limit. Those charges were dismissed at sentencing.
Seals declined to make a statement during sentencing.
Sixth Judicial District Judge David Cox didn’t sentence Seals to prison because of a plea agreement, which suspended the 10 years and gave him three years of probation.
The plea agreement was based on Seals being 17 years old at the time of the offense and his lack of criminal history.
The judge also ordered Seals to pay $150,000 in restitution to the heirs or estate of Jennifer Russell.
Cox said Seals will be jointly or severally responsible with Kesean Ford, if Ford is convicted. Ford’s trial is set for Feb. 11.
Seals also will have his driver’s license revoked for a length of time determined by the Iowa Department of Transportation, Cox said.
Cox warned Seals to follow the terms of the probation because if he doesn’t, the prosecution can ask to revoke it and Seals could be sentenced to the 10 years if he has violations during those three years.
The judge said there is nothing the court or Seals can do to change what happened to Jennifer Russell but Seals can “fix” himself.
After sentencing, Matt and Kelly Russell, told The Gazette they were upset about the Alford plea. They didn’t know about it until they walked into court for the plea hearing. They also were frustrated with the written plea because it didn’t use their daughter’s name — only her initials — in the place where he had to sign and admit his guilt.
“He was drag racing and you don’t admit your role in this,” Kelly Russell said. “And that (Alford plea) is nonsense. I’m so angry.”
She also hoped Seals would stand up Monday and say he was sorry, but he didn’t.
Matt Russell said they want to pursue legislation to change this charge and make it a higher penalty for causing someone’s death. He knows the prosecutors gave the most severe penalty and the prosecutors are “begging” for someone to change it, he said.
“This is not right,” Matt Russell said. “How does someone die and nothing happens. We don’t feel like (law enforcement) was thorough enough from the start.”
“We’re just broken … destroyed. She was a neat person. She was good.”
According to a criminal complaint, Ford was driving a 2008 Saturn VUE and speeding on E. Court Street at 10:45 p.m. that night He was driving next to a white 2012 GMC Acadia being driven by Seals, who also was speeding.
The VUE crashed into a gray 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Russell, at the intersection of E. Court Street and S. Seventh Avenue. The Malibu was pushed into the Acadia, and Russell’s car was pushed into a utility pole. Russell was killed in the crash.
Both teens were driving more than 25 mph over the speed limit — which is 25 mph — and both failed to stop at a stop sign, resulting in the crash, the complaint stated.
Russell’s parents last year filed a wrongful-death lawsuit, which was dismissed without prejudice in February by a judge because of a technicality. The petition was served to Seals, a minor at the time, and not his parent or guardian, which the law requires.
Because the lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, the Russells could refile it, but nothing has been filed yet.
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Matt Russell, father of Jennifer Russell, chastised Elijah Seals, during Seals’ sentencing, for leaving the crash scene and never showing any remorse for drag racing that night with Kesean Ford, who also is charged. Seals and Ford crashed into Jennifer’s vehicle, which was stopped at the intersection of S. Seventh Avenue and E. Court Street.
“We have suffered so much pain and sorrow,” Matt Russell said. “We lost a big part of our life. I hate you and wish you were dead. She was the best daughter. Rot in hell.”
Tyler Russell, Jennifer’s brother, in his victim impact statement, accused Seals of taking a “coward’s way out” for not admitting guilt, instead taking an Alford plea. The death of his sister has shattered his and his families’ future. It turned their “world upside down.”
The brother said he hoped the “agony” Seals caused will “haunt you for the rest of your life. Hope the memory of her haunts you every day.”
“She was here and then she was gone on that horrific night,” said Kelly Russell, Jennifer’s mother, while tearing up throughout her statement.
Kelly was on the phone with Jennifer, who was using a Bluetooth device to talk on her way home from work that night. She had just started as a manager at Jethro’s BBQ in Coralville. Kelly Russell said she didn’t know what happened to her daughter. She heard noises in the background and a man yelling. She thought her daughter was being abducted.
She and her husband were panicked. They jumped in the car and started tracking their daughter’s phone and driving to Iowa City. Then, her husband got a call from the hospital saying Jennifer had been in a crash and she didn’t survive.
“I think about that cruel and unbelievable moment she was at that intersection,” Kelly Russell said. “What were you thinking? Did you see her car? And you walked away without injury. So unfair.”
They had to wait 18 months and “this wasn’t the justice we were seeking. This wasn’t an accident. Never an accident. It was violent, senseless, horrific crash.”
Many family members and friends filled one half the courtroom on Monday. Seals’ family and friends also attended the sentencing.
In September, Seals made an Alford plea to one count of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving, a felony, which carries a 10-year prison term. An Alford plea is when a defendant maintains innocence but admits the prosecution has enough evidence to convict.
Seals originally was charged with involuntary manslaughter and two other charges of homicide by vehicle-drag racing and homicide by vehicle-excessive speed by going 25 mph over the limit. Those charges were dismissed at sentencing.
Seals declined to make a statement during sentencing.
Sixth Judicial District Judge David Cox didn’t sentence Seals to prison because of a plea agreement, which suspended the 10 years and gave him three years of probation.
The plea agreement was based on Seals being 17 years old at the time of the offense and his lack of criminal history.
The judge also ordered Seals to pay $150,000 in restitution to the heirs or estate of Jennifer Russell.
Cox said Seals will be jointly or severally responsible with Kesean Ford, if Ford is convicted. Ford’s trial is set for Feb. 11.
Seals also will have his driver’s license revoked for a length of time determined by the Iowa Department of Transportation, Cox said.
Cox warned Seals to follow the terms of the probation because if he doesn’t, the prosecution can ask to revoke it and Seals could be sentenced to the 10 years if he has violations during those three years.
The judge said there is nothing the court or Seals can do to change what happened to Jennifer Russell but Seals can “fix” himself.
After sentencing, Matt and Kelly Russell, told The Gazette they were upset about the Alford plea. They didn’t know about it until they walked into court for the plea hearing. They also were frustrated with the written plea because it didn’t use their daughter’s name — only her initials — in the place where he had to sign and admit his guilt.
“He was drag racing and you don’t admit your role in this,” Kelly Russell said. “And that (Alford plea) is nonsense. I’m so angry.”
She also hoped Seals would stand up Monday and say he was sorry, but he didn’t.
Matt Russell said they want to pursue legislation to change this charge and make it a higher penalty for causing someone’s death. He knows the prosecutors gave the most severe penalty and the prosecutors are “begging” for someone to change it, he said.
“This is not right,” Matt Russell said. “How does someone die and nothing happens. We don’t feel like (law enforcement) was thorough enough from the start.”
“We’re just broken … destroyed. She was a neat person. She was good.”
Seals was driving more than twice the 25 mph speed limit
According to a criminal complaint, Ford was driving a 2008 Saturn VUE and speeding on E. Court Street at 10:45 p.m. that night He was driving next to a white 2012 GMC Acadia being driven by Seals, who also was speeding.
The VUE crashed into a gray 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Russell, at the intersection of E. Court Street and S. Seventh Avenue. The Malibu was pushed into the Acadia, and Russell’s car was pushed into a utility pole. Russell was killed in the crash.
Both teens were driving more than 25 mph over the speed limit — which is 25 mph — and both failed to stop at a stop sign, resulting in the crash, the complaint stated.
Russell’s parents last year filed a wrongful-death lawsuit, which was dismissed without prejudice in February by a judge because of a technicality. The petition was served to Seals, a minor at the time, and not his parent or guardian, which the law requires.
Because the lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, the Russells could refile it, but nothing has been filed yet.
‘I wish you were dead’ father tells Iowa City drag-racing teen who caused daughter’s death
“We’re just broken ... destroyed,“ said the mother of a 22-year-old who was killed in a crash caused by two teens drag racing in 2023. She hoped the 18-year-old sentenced Monday would say he was sorry, but he didn’t.
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