Hunter
09/08/21
An Iowa City man has been found guilty on all charges against him after he drove his vehicle over the speed limit on the wrong side of the interstate at night without headlights, resulting in one person’s death and several other injuries.
On Tuesday, Sixth Judicial District Judge Jason Besler found 34-year-old Stephen Lucore guilty on all counts against him, although one charge of murder in the first degree was reduced to second-degree murder. He was also found guilty of homicide by vehicle, serious injury by vehicle, willful injury causing serious injury, and three counts of willful injury causing bodily injury.
The incident in question occurred about 9:30 pm June 16th 2019 on Interstate 80. Lucore’s wrong-way driving caused a head-on collision with a vehicle driven by 31-year-old David Sawyer of Frisco Texas. A passenger, 64-year-old Robert Sawyer of Nacona Texas, died in the crash. Three other people in the vehicle suffered injuries.
In his ruling, Judge Besler said because Lucore intentionally drove his car into another vehicle and accelerated to keep Sawyer from avoiding the crash, there was no dispute that he acted with malice.
Lucore faces up to 50 years on the murder and vehicular homicide charge, of which he must serve at least 35 years before being eligible for parole. The other charges could add another 25 years to his sentence.
Court records indicate that Lucore will be sentenced on November 15th.
The Gazette reports that David Sawyer is suing Lucore for negligence because of the injuries he and his children suffered in the crash. No trial date has been set.