Marengo man pleads to lesser charges in 2020 fatal Walford crash

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Marengo man who was intoxicated and crossed the centerline on Highway 151 in Walford, killing a Cedar Rapids man in a head-on crash in 2020, pleaded guilty to lesser charges Wednesday and faces up to 15 years in prison.

Edwin Arenivas, 24, originally charged with vehicular homicide by vehicle while under the influence that resulted in death, pleaded to vehicular homicide — reckless driving — and serious injury by vehicle. During the plea, Arenivas admitted to crossing the center lane while intoxicated March 7, 2020, and striking a vehicle head-on driven by Erik Halvorson, 32. Arenivas also admitted to unintentionally causing Halvorson’s death and driving in a reckless manner.

Halvorson, an electrical apprentice, was on his way to do some overtime work in Amana, his wife, Nikki Halvorson, told The Gazette last year.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover said as part of the plea agreement, the five- and 10-year sentences would run consecutively for a total of 15 years in prison, and Arenivas would waive his rights to appeal and a motion to reconsideration sentencing. He must also have no law violations between now and the sentencing or the prosecution can withdraw the plea deal.

Arenivas also will be ordered at sentencing to pay $150,000 victim restitution to Halvorson’s estate, which is required by Iowa law.

According to a criminal complaint, Linn County sheriff’s deputies responded to the crash about 5:54 a.m. that day at the intersection of Highway 151 and Commercial Drive in Walford. A Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Arenivas, then 22, struck Halvorson’s vehicle head-on. Halvorson died at the scene. Arenivas was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for life threatening injuries.

Arenivas was charged in May 2020, after being released from hospital in April. Deputies obtained a search warrant for a blood specimen taken from Arenivas shortly after he was admitted to the hospital, according to the complaint. The specimen, analyzed at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation crime lab, showed Arenivas had a blood alcohol content of .173 percent. The legal driving limit in Iowa is .08 percent.

Nikki Halvorson, who attended the hearing with her family and friends, said afterward that she and the family agreed to go forward with this plea because of the prison time and other stipulations after the trial had been reset 10 times.

“Feels so good to hear him take responsibility … To hear him say he is guilty,” she said.

Nothing can bring back her husband but she feels a “sliver of justice” because Arenivas will have “felon” on his record and his monthly payments of restitution will remind him of what he did. And she hopes he never causes another death.

“I will grieve the rest of my life, but I’m trying to move forward with a sore heart, body, mind and spirit,” she said. “Erik was so much part of who I am.”

The two grew up together in Cedar Rapids — first meeting at Harding Middle School and becoming best friends while attending Kennedy High School. They didn’t start dating until she was in graduate school and finally married in 2015.

She said she is doing better but she had a lot of bad days, weeks and months since her husband’s death. She said she couldn’t have made it without the support from her family and his.

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