Charges filed in 2023 hayride crash in southeast Iowa

Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with a hayride accident involving 29 middle school students last year. The accident occurred east of What Cheer in Keokuk County. Daniel Brubaker and David Heady each have to answer for 13 counts of child endangerment – three of which resulted in serious injuries and 10 of which resulted in bodily harm. Both Heady and Brubaker had their first court appearances Tuesday afternoon. The court has ordered both men not to have any contact with the alleged victims of this incident. Both must appear in court again on January 10th. The hayride accident occurred in October 2023 on a gravel road east of What Cheer. Court documents say Brubaker was driving a pickup truck pulling a gooseneck trailer carrying 29 seventh-graders. According to court documents, the pickup lost control and went into a ditch. All of the children on the trip were thrown out of the trailer. Three students were taken to the hospital. The search warrant also identifies Heady as a passenger in the pickup truck and says he was “very intoxicated when police arrived.” Heady was a Keokuk County deputy at the time of the crash but has since resigned. KCCI also spoke with the mother of a girl injured in the crash, who wished to remain anonymous. She sent a statement saying: “When I received the text message from the DCI yesterday asking me to call them, I hoped that our hope had finally come true. I called them when they told me that Dan and David had been separated, a. A great relief had been taken from us. My daughter was not seriously injured but had to go to a few doctor’s appointments, chiropractors and had physical therapy on her shoulder. When I told my daughter after school that a Christmas miracle had happened, and then I told her: she was shocked at first, but so happy. “The parents of another girl injured in the accident filed a lawsuit in November 2023. Her attorney sent KCCI a statement saying, “We are very grateful for the continued efforts of the organization’s members. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Attorney General continue to expect justice to be served in this matter.” The Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment. KCCI contacted the Iowa Attorney General’s Office about this crash. A spokesman confirmed the charges and arrests but said the office has no comment on pending cases.More coverage» Download the free KCCI app for updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from KCCI