Judge removes house arrest, adds bail, curfew for Iowa City teen charged in fatal crash

An Iowa City teen accused of drag racing and causing a fatal crash — and who was denied a temporary furlough last week to attend a high school prom — was back in court Monday, this time asking a judge to take him off house arrest and GPS monitoring.

Kesean Lee Ford, 18, asked 6th Judicial District Judge Michael Harris to modify his pretrial conditions and release him to the supervision of the district Department of Correctional Services. Currently he is under house arrest, which allows him to leave his house only to go to work, medical appointments and court proceedings. He is attending school online.

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As part of his house arrest, Ford must also wear an ankle monitor, which is tracked by the Johnson County sheriff’s deputies who oversee the pretrial release GPS monitoring program. Linn County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith said they asked for the GPS monitoring to continue, along with a curfew and bail.

Judge Harris ruled to remove Ford from house arrest but imposed a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew — meaning he must be in his house those hours — and continued GPS monitoring and added a $30,000 cash or surety bail. If Ford makes bail, he still would remain on GPS monitoring and under the curfew restrictions, according to the order.

Zimmermann Smith said the family of Jennifer Russell, 22, of Waterloo, who was killed in the May 27, 2023, crash, supported Ford being off house arrest because he was receiving jail credit, meaning his house arrest counted as jail time that would reduce his sentence if he’s convicted. Now, under supervision by the department, he won’t receive any future credit pending his trial, which is set for Aug. 20, Zimmermann Smith said.

Ford and Elijah Seals, now 18, of Iowa City, are charged with joint criminal conduct of involuntary manslaughter-aiding and abetting, homicide by vehicle-aiding and abetting, reckless driving in excess speed over 25 mph, or operating a vehicle by drag racing in the fatal crash, according to amended trial information.

A criminal complaint stated Ford, driving a 2008 Saturn VUE, was speeding on E. Court Street at 10:45 p.m. May 27, 2023. 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 then pushed into the Acadia, and 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, according to the complaint.

Russell’s parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit last year, which was dismissed without prejudice in February by a judge because of a legal technicality. The petition was served to Seals, who is a minor, and not his parent or guardian, which is required by law.

Because the lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, the Russells could refile it.

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