Man charged with vehicular homicide in Iowa City crash

[cigaretteman]

A Washington, Iowa man has been charged with vehicular homicide in relation to a crash in Iowa City in August that killed one person and seriously injured another.



Drake Brezina, 24, is charged with one count of homicide by vehicle and one count of serious injury by vehicle.


The crash happened at about 1 p.m. on Aug. 7. Brezina was driving east on Highway 6 in a white 2009 Chevy Silverado when he ran a stoplight and hit a car that had been heading north on Boyrum Street, driven by Kristina Pearson, 30, of Wellman. Pearson’s car then hit another car, according to a news release from the Iowa City Police Department.



Pearson and a passenger in her car were transported via ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where Pearson died. The passenger, who is not named in the news release or in criminal complaints, had to be resuscitated while at the hospital but ultimately survived the crash, according to a criminal complaint.


Brezina was initially cited with a red light violation after the crash. A warrant was issued for his arrest on the vehicular homicide and injury charges on Thursday and he was arrested early Friday morning.


Further investigation after the crash revealed Brezina had entered the intersection 15 seconds after the light turned red. Traffic camera video showed that Brezina was holding his cellphone in front of his face in the seconds before the crash. Data from his vehicle showed he was driving 44 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to the complaint.


Brezina had his first appearance in court Friday and was released without bond.

Man charged with vehicular homicide in Iowa City crash

A traffic camera at the intersection where the August crash occurred showed the driver was holding a cellphone in front of his face in the seconds before the crash, according to a criminal complaint.

www.thegazette.com

 

[abby97]

I will never understand why ANYONE would text or stare at their phone while driving. Maybe they aren't aware that a car weighs about 2000 lbs and goes really fast. I hope they throw the book at him and they need to pass stricter distracted driving laws.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

Just terrible, put your damn phones away while driving, this is so preventable.

 

[ThorneStockton]

I will never understand why ANYONE would text or stare at their phone while driving. Maybe they aren't aware that a car weighs about 2000 lbs and goes really fast. I hope they throw the book at him and they need to pass stricter distracted driving laws.

I understand your idea that laws would prevent this sort of thing from happening, but the unfortunate truth is that laws don't matter, criminals don't obey them, that's part of being a criminal.

 

[abby97]

I understand your idea that laws would prevent this sort of thing from happening, but the unfortunate truth is that laws don't matter, criminals don't obey them, that's part of being a criminal.

I understand, but the longer we can keep morons off the street, the longer the rest of society is protected from those same morons.

 

[pjhawk]

Figured it had to be something like this. Lock the bastard up.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

I will never understand why ANYONE would text or stare at their phone while driving. Maybe they aren't aware that a car weighs about 2000 lbs and goes really fast. I hope they throw the book at him and they need to pass stricter distracted driving laws.

I drive highway 6 nearly every day and I can see people "on their phones" virtually every time. It is very, very common still, despite PSA"s, etc, that warn against it. I am only suprised that there are not even MORE accidents related to cell phone use.

 

[RollingBallofButcherKnives]

I see so many people out on 4 lanes with their nose in a phone. Pisses me off. Often You can easily pick them out by how they veer side to side before you ever see them with the phone in their hands and many don’t even try to hide it…

 

[theiacowtipper]

Im fine with this being a felony. Unpopular opinion, but I don’t think he belongs in prison. Convict him. He can’t drive for years. I’m fine with all of that. But at the heart this is non violent. Make him work to pay restitution.

And I’ve seen the horrific aftermath of distracted driving cases. Edit to add, I’d be fine with saying this if the victim was my wife.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Im fine with this being a felony. Unpopular opinion, but I don’t think he belongs in prison. Convict him. He can’t drive for years. I’m fine with all of that. But at the heart this is non violent. Make him work to pay restitution.

And I’ve seen the horrific aftermath of distracted driving cases. Edit to add, I’d be fine with saying this if the victim was my wife.

Non violent? He took a woman’s life in a selfish and easily avoidable wreck. He deserves time behind bars, at least five to ten years.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Non violent? He took a woman’s life in a selfish and easily avoidable wreck. He deserves time behind bars, at least five to ten years.

Agreed. ^^ I think it is fair to say that he didn't have any intent to harm anyone and therefore it is a different scenario than when someone means to hurt/kill someone else. But it is also so avoidable, so negligent and so self centered that I think we need to jail these people to hopefully get through to others.

When an innocent person is dead because of your willful negligence...you do time. Put your phones down while driving...simple stuff.

 

[theiacowtipper]

Non violent? He took a woman’s life in a selfish and easily avoidable wreck. He deserves time behind bars, at least five to ten years.

I’m not going to convince anyone here. I get that. However, does it bother you at all that the only reason he is going to prison was that he was unlucky? Millions of people do this every day. If you tried to find a jury made of people who have never driven distracted you’d have to reach across the entire state.

You telling me that you’ve never driven while distracted? Never messed with a radio station? Never messed with a drink? Weren’t yelling at your kids? Getting road head? Are we throwing all of those people in prison as well? They are as guilty.

We put too many people in prison.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

I’m not going to convince anyone here. I get that. However, does it bother you at all that the only reason he is going to prison was that he was unlucky? Millions of people do this every day. If you tried to find a jury made of people who have never driven distracted you’d have to reach across the entire state.

You telling me that you’ve never driven while distracted? Never messed with a radio station? Never messed with a drink? Weren’t yelling at your kids? Getting road head? Are we throwing all of those people in prison as well? They are as guilty.

We put too many people in prison.

I wish getting RH.

Yes, I’ve been guilty of doing some of those things but he was 15 seconds late going through the intersection with his phone in his face. That deserves time to be that negligent. A woman is dead because of it. He killed her. He deserves time in prison.

Honestly, we need to have a system that prevents phones from being used while in the drivers seat. Law passed in Iowa for hands free driving. It has gotten out of control the stupidity I see daily with drivers and their phone. Sad. And pathetic selfish actions.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

I’m not going to convince anyone here. I get that. However, does it bother you at all that the only reason he is going to prison was that he was unlucky? Millions of people do this every day. If you tried to find a jury made of people who have never driven distracted you’d have to reach across the entire state.

You telling me that you’ve never driven while distracted? Never messed with a radio station? Never messed with a drink? Weren’t yelling at your kids? Getting road head? Are we throwing all of those people in prison as well? They are as guilty.

We put too many people in prison.

He wasn't just "unlucky"...he was consciously behaving in a way that greatly elevates the risk to others around him. I am pretty lenient in the event of a true accident...but not very forgiving when someone consciously behaves in a way that could quite easily harm, or even kill, others.

 

[theiacowtipper]

He wasn't just "unlucky"...he was consciously behaving in a way that greatly elevates the risk to others around him. I am pretty lenient in the event of a true accident...but not very forgiving when someone consciously behaves in a way that could quite easily harm, or even kill, others.

Call it what you will. Thousands of people do the exact same thing every day and don’t kill anyone. Again, they deserve to be punished. I just don’t think they belong in prison. What does it accomplish? In prison they just rot away. If they are out, they could do community service. Show pictures of the text messages and the wrecked cars and say to kids, "this is what can happen".

Im just reluctant to lock people up for something that is pretty commonplace as an activity.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Call it what you will. Thousands of people do the exact same thing every day and don’t kill anyone. Again, they deserve to be punished. I just don’t think they belong in prison. What does it accomplish? In prison they just rot away. If they are out, they could do community service. Show pictures of the text messages and the wrecked cars and say to kids, "this is what can happen".

Im just reluctant to lock people up for something that is pretty commonplace as an activity.

Fair enough, we appear to have an honest difference of opinion here, that's cool by me.

 

[cohawk]

Non violent? He took a woman’s life in a selfish and easily avoidable wreck. He deserves time behind bars, at least five to ten years.

Assuming he hasn't been in trouble in the past that prison sentence is way to long. Plus the original poster was correct. It's non violent. What purpose would a sentence that harsh have?

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Assuming he hasn't been in trouble in the past that prison sentence is way to long. Plus the original poster was correct. It's non violent. What purpose would a sentence that harsh have?

It’s pre-meditated. He knowingly got behind the wheel of his truck with his phone in his face and continued to be that way the entire time he was driving. I guess you would change your tune if it was your wife, sister, aunt, cousin, mother, or friend.