NEW LONDON, Iowa – An 18-year-old is charged after police say two passengers were thrown from a truck bed resulting in the death of one in September.
According to an arrest affidavit, 18-year-old Owen Neff is charged with homicide by serious injury, a Class C felony and serious injury by a vehicle, a Class D felony.
Police said at 11:28 p.m. on Sept. 27, Neff was driving a Ford pickup truck in the area of East Cleveland Street and East Adams Street with one person in the passenger seat and four others in the bed of the truck.
Police said as Neff drove the truck, he made a sudden left turn, causing two of the passengers in the truck bed to fall out of the vehicle.
One of the passengers, 16-year-old Gavin Browning, landed in the roadway. Police said he had significant head trauma, causing his death.
The other passenger who fell out of the truck landed face down in the roadway, resulting in a fractured wrist and head trauma.
Police said after the two were thrown from the truck, the other passengers yelled for Neff to stop and he did.
All of the passengers and Neff got out of the truck. Police said Neff then pulled the other passenger out of the roadway and saw that Browning was dead.
Police said Neff then got back in his truck and drove away. He pulled over at the next intersection and waited till first responders arrived to the scene and returned.
According to witness statements, police found that Neff was driving the truck with disregard for the safety of the passengers.
Court records show Neff was granted a pretrial supervised release. A preliminary hearing is set for June 6.
(Courtesy of media partner KTIV)
