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Criminal Charges Filed in Fatal, May 19 Jon-Boat Collision

By on December 7, 2012
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THE DES MOINES COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE HAS FILED FORMAL FELONY CHARGES AGAINST THE DRIVERS OF BOTH BOATS INVOLVED IN A FATAL, MAY 19TH, ACCIDENT ON THE O’CONNELL SLOUGH, JUST NORTH OF BURLINGTON. 22-YEAR OLD JAKE BOYD…21-YEAR OLDS MATT HOUSE AND BLAKE EAKINS…AND 20-YEAR OLD CAITLYN ATCHLEY WERE ALL KILLED IN THE CRASH. JOE SCHIER JUNIOR…WHO WAS 20 AT THE TIME…AND DOUG METCALF…WHO WAS 21…WILL EACH FACE ONE COUNT OF OPERATING A MOTOR-BOAT WHILE INTOXICATED, CAUSING DEATH…AND FOUR COUNTS EACH OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER.

ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY TY ROGERS…WHO’S HANDLING THE CASE…SAYS THE OWI CAUSING DEATH CHARGE IS A CLASS B FELONY, PUNISHABLE BY A DETERMINATE SENTENCE OF UP TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON. INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IS A CLASS D FELONY, PUNISHABLE BY UP TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON ON EACH COUNT…BUT THE JUDGE CAN LEGALLY SUSPEND OR DEFER THE SENTENCE. INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER ALSO CARRIES WITH IT A POSSIBLE FINE OF BETWEEN 750 AND 7-THOUSAND-500 DOLLARS ON EACH COUNT. THAT, TOO, IS UP TO THE JUDGE.


  • Appleman

    I have feeling they are going to try and make an example out of these guys. I know most of the people involved and think anywhere near this is over doing it. The are both suffering mentally in a jail in their heads. I hope they see this for the accident it was while they were being young and not something to put them in jail for most of their life before they are even 25.