Iowa crime: Daniel Brubaker pleads guilty in hayrack ride case

Iowa man pleads guilty to charges stemming from hayrack ride crash

NOW. AN IOWA MAN FACING 13 CHARGES IN A HAYRACK CRASH HAS PLEADED GUILTY. MORE THAN A DOZEN JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS WERE HURT IN THE CRASH EAST OF WHITTIER IN 2023. THE THREE KIDS WERE SERIOUSLY HURT. ��vlog MARCUS MCINTOSH WAS INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE WHEN DANIEL BRUBAKER MADE HIS PLEA. INSIDE THE KEOKUK COUNTY COURTHOUSE BEHIND ME, DANIEL BRUBAKER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS ACTIONS THAT LED TO THE INJURIES OF MORE THAN A DOZEN JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS. GUILTY. YOUR HONOR, IS THE PLEA. BRUBAKER ENTERED TO THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. THREE CLASS C FELONIES, NEGLECT OF A DEPENDENT PERSON AND TEN CLASS D FELONIES. CHILD ENDANGERMENT RESULTING IN BODILY INJURY. BRUBAKER ADMITTED HE WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE, PULLING THE HAY TRAILER, AND THAT HE STARTED DRINKING ALCOHOL ABOUT NOON THAT DAY. THERE WAS FIVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CONSUMED. BY YOU. YES. YOUR HONOR. WHAT WERE THE BEVERAGES? IF YOU ARE? BUSCH LIGHT? A MARGARITA AND A CAN. YOUR HONOR. ANYTHING ELSE? A SHOT OF FIREBALL. BRUBAKER ALSO DETAILED DRINKING ABOUT HALF A CAN OF BEER DURING THE RIDE, AND A HALF A BOTTLE OF VODKA. ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE RIDE, I STAYED AT THE SCENE FOR ROUGHLY. 30 MINUTES AFTER THE INCIDENT. ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FRANK SEVERINO GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CRASH. HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THROUGH THE DITCH, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, HE CAUSED ADDITIONAL DANGERS TO THE CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER AND IN FACT, IN THIS CASE, AT LEAST ONE OF THE CHILDREN WAS RUN OVER AFTER THE CRASH. HE DIDN’T STAY AT THE SCENE. BRUBAKER SENTENCING IS TENTATIVELY SET FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH. HE’S FACING UP TO 80 YEARS BEHIND BARS. IN SIGOURNEY

Updated: 5:08 PM CDT Jul 8, 2025

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Iowa man pleads guilty to charges stemming from hayrack ride crash

Updated: 5:08 PM CDT Jul 8, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

An Iowa man charged after a hayrack ride crash that injured dozens of children has pleaded guilty. On Tuesday, Daniel Brubaker pleaded guilty to three Class C felony charges of neglect of a dependent person and 10 Class D felonies of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury.Investigators say Brubaker was driving a pickup truck pulling a trailer when it lost control and entered a ditch in October 2023.Video above: Driver in hayrack crash that injured Iowa students details drinking before, after crashIn court Tuesday, Brubaker admitted he began drinking around midday and consumed five alcoholic beverages, including Busch Light, a margarita and a shot of Fireball whiskey, before the hayride.He additionally revealed drinking half a can of beer during the ride and a half bottle of vodka after it ended.Brubaker was behind the wheel of the vehicle towing the hay trailer on a gravel road, he lost control and veered into a ditch, injuring several children and heightening the danger they faced after the crash.According to Assistant Attorney General Frank Severino, Brubaker placed the children in further peril by continuing to drive through a ditch after the crash, putting them at risk of being run over. "At least one of the children was run over," said Severino, detailing the negligence.Brubaker admitted staying at the crash scene for only about 30 minutes before leaving, compounding the legal consequences of his actions.Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 4, where Brubaker faces a potential prison term of up to 80 years.Brubaker's attorney says he will push for concurrent sentencing and probation.Impact statements from the victims and or the families are expected at sentencing.Brubaker still faces two lawsuits from families over the incident. One trial is set to start in October.David Heady, the operator of the ride, is facing the same charges, with his trial scheduled for Aug. 26 in Mahaska County.» Subscribe to ��vlog's YouTube page» Download the free ��vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

KEOKUK COUNTY, Iowa —

An Iowa man charged after a hayrack ride crash that injured dozens of children has pleaded guilty.

On Tuesday, Daniel Brubaker pleaded guilty to three Class C felony charges of neglect of a dependent person and 10 Class D felonies of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury.

Investigators say Brubaker was driving a pickup truck pulling a trailer when it lost control and entered a ditch in October 2023.

Video above: Driver in hayrack crash that injured Iowa students details drinking before, after crash

In court Tuesday, Brubaker admitted he began drinking around midday and consumed five alcoholic beverages, including Busch Light, a margarita and a shot of Fireball whiskey, before the hayride.

He additionally revealed drinking half a can of beer during the ride and a half bottle of vodka after it ended.

Brubaker was behind the wheel of the vehicle towing the hay trailer on a gravel road, he lost control and veered into a ditch, injuring several children and heightening the danger they faced after the crash.

According to Assistant Attorney General Frank Severino, Brubaker placed the children in further peril by continuing to drive through a ditch after the crash, putting them at risk of being run over. "At least one of the children was run over," said Severino, detailing the negligence.

Brubaker admitted staying at the crash scene for only about 30 minutes before leaving, compounding the legal consequences of his actions.

Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 4, where Brubaker faces a potential prison term of up to 80 years.

Brubaker's attorney says he will push for concurrent sentencing and probation.

Impact statements from the victims and or the families are expected at sentencing.

Brubaker still faces two lawsuits from families over the incident. One trial is set to start in October.

David Heady, the operator of the ride, is facing the same charges, with his trial scheduled for Aug. 26 in Mahaska County.

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Iowa man pleads guilty to charges stemming from hayrack ride crash

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