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Second teen pleads in drag racing crash killing Waterloo woman in 2023
He faces up to 10 years in prison after crash in Iowa City
Feb. 11, 2025 12:13 pm
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An Iowa City teen pleaded Tuesday to one charge of vehicular homicide in a fatal drag-racing crash that killed a Waterloo woman in 2023.
Kesean Ford, 19, pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court to homicide by vehicle-excessive speed over 25 mph, a Class C felony, shortly before jury selection was to start in his trial.
Ford, who attempted to plead last year without a prosecution’s agreement — which was rejected by a judge — now faces up to 10 years in prison. He is eligible for a deferred judgment and probation, but a prosecutor will ask for a prison term.
Ford and Elijah Seals, 18, of Iowa City, also convicted in this case, were responsible for causing the fatal crash that killed Jennifer Russell, 22, on May 27, 2023, according to a criminal complaint.
Ford, 17 at the time, was driving a 2008 Saturn VUE and speeding on E. Court Street at 10:45 p.m. that night, the complaint stated. He was driving next to a white 2012 GMC Acadia being driven by Seals, also 17 at the time, 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 then 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.
Grieving mother
During Seals’ sentencing last year, Kelly Russell, in her statement, said she 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 was happening while talking to her daughter as 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.”
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 it hasn’t been refiled yet.
Rejected plea
A judge rejected Ford’s previous plea filed in October 2024 because of “deficiencies” in the trial information, which caused confusion over the number of charges against Ford.
Ford, in the rejected plea, pleaded guilty involuntary manslaughter and homicide by vehicle-drag racing, both Class D felonies — each a five-year prison term.
During that hearing, the prosecution argued there were three charges and it didn’t agree to any plea with Ford for his lawyer. Ford’s lawyer argued there were only two charges, but agreed that the prosecution didn’t offer a plea agreement.
The prosecution amended the trial information to list each of the three homicide by vehicle counts as separate charges and 6th Judicial District Judge David Cox approved the amended information. The trial was reset to Tuesday.
Ford’s sentencing is set for May 19.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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