Chadwick pleads guilty in crash that killed Cedar Rapids utility worker

CEDAR RAPIDS — Family members and friends of Stephen J. Cook packed a small Linn County courtroom Monday to hear Lawson Chadwick plead guilty to crashing into Cook's van, killing him on April 17, 2015.

A trial for Chadwick, 47, was to start Monday, but instead, he decided earlier this month to plead guilty to homicide by vehicle while under the influence of methamphetamine and amphetamine and first-degree theft as a habitual offender.

Chadwick faces up to 40 years in prison. He will have to serve three years, the mandatory minimum sentence for the theft charge, before being eligible for parole.

Chadwick admitted in court to driving under the influence of methamphetamine and amphetamines on April 17, 2015, as he led police on a short high-speed chase before running a stop sign and crashing into a van driven by Cook, a city Water Division worker and Palo volunteer firefighter, at the intersection of 16th Avenue and Ninth Street SW.

Sixth Judicial District Senior Judge Thomas Koehler also asked Chadwick if he admitted to unintentionally causing Cook's death, as Cook was ejected from the van and died the next day at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Chadwick said he agreed to the admission.

Chadwick also admitted to having stolen property in his truck at the time of the crash. The equipment, valued at more than $10,000, was from Acro Manufacturing, a machine shop in Cedar Rapids. He also confirmed that he had been previously convicted of three felonies, two burglaries and one possession of precursors, to warrant the habitual offender enhancement.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Nic Scott said the other charges — homicide by vehicle while attempting to elude as a habitual offender and homicide by vehicle by reckless driving as a habitual offender — will be dismissed at the time of sentencing. Scott previously explained that under Iowa law, even if Chadwick had been convicted of those charges, they would merge with the other homicide by vehicle while under the influence charge.

The defense will argue at sentencing for the 15-year sentence on the theft as a habitual offender charge to run concurrently with the 25-year sentence on the vehicular homicide charge, for a total of 25 years.

Scott said he will reserve his recommendation for consecutive or concurrent sentences until after he sees the presentencing report.

Chadwick will also have to pay $150,000 in victim's restitution to Cook's estate and may have to pay up to a $10,000 fine for the theft charge. His driver's license will also automatically be revoked because of the conviction.

Chadwick had been free on bail since January, but was immediately taken into custody after Monday's hearing. Chadwick was out on bail for a separate drug charge when he crashed into Cook's van, according to court records.

Cook's family declined to comment after the hearing.

The estate of Cook reached a tentative $100,000 wrongful death settlement with Chadwick, which the city approved in April. Chadwick's insurance company will pay the $100,000 to Cook's estate, but under the Iowa Workers' Compensation law, the city could be compensated out of any settlement, so the city had to sign off on the agreement, according to city documents.

Cedar Rapids also is paying workers' compensation benefits to Cook's family.

Chadwick's sentencing is set for July 19 in Linn County District Court.