Plea Deal Rejected By Judge For Fatal Rollover Crash

A district court judge has rejected a plea deal submitted by a Delaware County woman who was driving a UTV in a 2021 rollover crash that killed a passenger. 27 year old Hanna Meese of Edgewood was operating a UTV on May 2, 2021, on Wood Edge Drive in Edgewood with 32 year old Jordan Cabalka of Edgewood. The UTV crashed and Cabalka died in the crash. Meese previously entered a guilty plea in Iowa District Court of Delaware County to an aggravated misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter. Per the plea, she would not have served any jail time. Meese was initially charged with homicide by vehicle-operating while intoxicated, a class B felony. District Court Judge Monica Zrinyi Ackley rejected Meese’s plea, stating that the plea agreement did not meet the qualifications for the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter because the agreement listed speeding as the public offense that caused the death. Ackley said the witnesses identified in the minutes did not indicate speed was a factor.