A warrant was issued for two subjects in connection to a hayrack crash that occurred near What Cheer last year. Thirty-two-year-old David Heady of What Cheer turned himself into the Washington County Jail on a Keokuk County warrant for three counts of child endangerment causing serious injury, Class C felonies, and 10 counts of child endangerment causing bodily injury, Class D felonies. A warrant with the same charges was also served to 35-year-old Daniel Brubaker of Sigourney. 

On October 14, 2023, Brubaker was driving a vehicle with a “goose neck” trailer carrying middle school-aged students. During the ride, it is alleged in court documents that Brubaker “operated the trailer in a negligent manner, causing the truck and trailer to go into a ditch, thus throwing the middle-school-aged riders throughout the road.”

Brubaker initially had charges filed against him by the family of E.M., a 12-year-old who was also injured in the incident. In April, Brubaker’s defense team submitted a motion for consolidation for the two sets of plaintiffs. If granted, this would join the separate cases into a single adjudication for all parties involved. Arraignment has been set for January 10th, 2025 for both Heady and Brubaker in Keokuk County. 

KCII will have more information as it becomes official.