WASHINGTON

Just over a year after an Iowa City crash that took the life of Kristina Pearson, 30, of Wellman, Drake Brezina, 25, of Riverside, was sentenced to probation and a fine of more than $100,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide and serious injury by motor vehicle due to reckless driving in Johnson County District Court.

Pearson was driving north on Boyrum Street when her vehicle was hit broadside by a truck driven by Brezina; her vehicle then collided with a third vehicle on Aug. 7, 2023. She and her partner, Christopher Brown, were transported to UI Health Care Medical Center, where she died of her injuries later that day.

Brezina was cited for a red light violation at the time of the crash; however, as a result of the subsequent investigation, additional charges were filed against him a month later.

He admitted to being distracted and running the red light at the time of the accident. Traffic cameras showed him holding up a cellphone, cellphone data showed social media messages sent and received, and his vehicle’s data recorder showed him driving 44-mph in a 35-mph area when the collision occurred.

Brezina pled guilty to the charges, and prosecutors requested a 15-year sentence; however, Judge Chad Kepros imposed supervised probation for five years instead, as well as community service. Brezina, who expressed deep remorse for his negligence, is expected to “have a positive influence on the community by speaking about these events, the dangers of distracted driving, texting and other forms of distracted and impaired driving,” Kepros said.

The decision may not have satisfied Pearson’s family.

“I have no forgiveness for Drake Brezina,” her mother, Judith Collora told the court. “How would you feel if it was your child?”

Brezina resigned from Highland Community Schools in May, where he had been a second-grade teacher and junior high football coach. He is a Hillcrest Academy graduate.