Iowa man convicted of vehicular homicide transferred to Iowa State Correctional Facility

PALO ALTO COUNTY, Iowa (KTIV) – A man was transferred to an Iowa facility to begin his prison term Friday afternoon for his involvement in a fatal crash.

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office transported 47-year-old Brian Michael Freeman to the Iowa Medical Classification Center in Oakdale, Iowa.

Palo Alto deputies announced the transfer Friday, Oct. 25, via a message to the sheriff’s office Facebook page.

Palo Alto deputies say both the transfer and the sentence stemmed from a fatal crash that happened in 2022 year.

“Freeman was the driver of the vehicle that killed 26-year-old Landon Richard Schick in a crash near Cylinder Iowa on June 12, 2022,” the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office said.

According to the documents, the crash occurred at 10:07 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, 2022, when Freeman was driving north on Highway 18 in a Chevrolet Silverado.

Law enforcement authorities say Freeman’s vehicle crossed the center line of the highway and struck Schick’s vehicle, which was traveling eastbound at the time.

Freeman told officers at the scene that he had been drinking, the documents said. After that, the police conducted a search to check for the presence of alcohol in the blood.

Officers say Freeman’s blood test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.117 percent. After the accident, Freeman was booked into the Palo Alto County Jail.

Brian Michael Freeman(Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office)

Freeman was transferred to the facility after he was sentenced Friday, Oct. 11, in Palo Alto County Circuit Court. Freeman was sentenced to an indeterminate term not exceeding 25 years.

“After a trial that began on August 6, 2024 and ended on August 9, 2024, Freeman was found guilty of homicide by vehicle while intoxicated, a Class B felony.” Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office said.

After the trial, Freeman was booked into the Palo Alto County Jail to await sentencing, deputies said.

The Iowa Department of Transportation suspended Freeman’s driver’s license for six years, according to court documents.

In addition, Freeman will have to take a drink-driving course and participate in rehabilitation services. Freeman will also have to pay $150,000 in restitution, the documents said.

Following his sentencing, Freeman was taken into custody by the Iowa Department of Corrections pending his transfer to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale, Iowa.