Former sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 10 years for role in hayrack ride crash
By Todd Magel
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KEOKUK COUNTY, Iowa (KCCI) — A former Iowa sheriff’s deputy, David Heady, has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for his role in a hay rack ride accident that injured several middle school students in Keokuk County.
During his sentencing on Wednesday, Heady pleaded for forgiveness and leniency, quoting Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Heady and Daniel Brubaker hosted the Halloween party and hay rack ride for middle schoolers in 2023, where investigators say the two men were drinking and speeding. Brubaker was behind the wheel during the incident.
Tracy Pfannebecker, the mother of a girl injured in the crash, was in tears when she spoke in court, expressing her distress over the incident.
“I will never forget that call that night, thinking that I could have lost my daughter, or my daughter could have lost some of her friends. Just because of you, David. For being stupid and supplying alcohol to yourself and Dan,” she said.
Investigators revealed that Heady, who was a Keokuk County sheriff’s deputy at the time, attempted to cover up the events of the crash. Brubaker received a 15-year prison sentence, and prosecutors requested a similar sentence for Heady.
“These children nearly lost their lives. This man had every opportunity and had every duty to do better. But he chose differently,” said prosecutor Frank Severino.
The judge ultimately sentenced Heady to 10 years, with Heady showing little emotion upon hearing the decision. Heady expressed remorse, saying, “I hope that these children and their parents all understand how very sorry I am that they were affected by this incident.”
In addition to the prison sentence, the judge ruled that Heady must not have any contact with the victims and must pay them restitution.
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A former Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a 2023 hayrack ride crash.
David Heady was a passenger in October 2023 when a truck pulling a trailer full of about 30 kids crashed. More than a dozen children were injured when the driver, Daniel Brubaker, lost control and entered a ditch.
Heady was found guilty this summer on 13 counts of child endangerment. Prosecutors called the crash “completely preventable” and investigators testified both Heady and Brubaker drank heavily before the crash. Heady had been in charge of organizing the ride, according to prosecutors.
Heady was sentenced Wednesday morning to 10 years in prison for the first two counts, along with 5 years apiece for counts 3-13. The counts will run concurrently.
Prosecutors at Wednesday’s sentencing called for the sentences to run consecutively for the two most serious counts, along with concurrent sentences for the remaining 11 counts.
Brubaker was sentenced in September to 15 years in prison.
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