Hunter
03/16/22
A Coralville man who pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and other counts for a fatal 2020 crash police say he caused while under the influence of illegal drugs was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday.
32-year-old Bryce James Wagehoft pleaded guilty last month to charges of reckless vehicular homicide and driving while barred as a habitual offender in the April 2020 death of 43-year-old Dawn Elaine Detweiler Stout of Cedar Rapids. Wagehoft also pleaded guilty to a third offense of operating while intoxicated, driving while barred and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Investigators say Wagehoft was speeding when he passed another vehicle on a rural road near Palo and hit Detweiler’s vehicle, killing her. Police say a toxicology report showed Wagehoft had amphetamines, marijuana and opiates in his system.
The Gazette reports Wagehoft was originally charged with vehicular homicide, a charge Stout’s daughter said during a victim impact statement he should have been convicted for, because his criminal record showed his lack of respect for the law.
Per the plea agreement, Sixth Judicial District Judge Jason Besler ran the vehicular homicide and OWI sentences consecutively and the other charges concurrently for a total of 20 years in prison.
Wagehoft will be incarcerated for at least three years before being eligible for parole.