DES MOINES, Iowa — The second suspect in a deadly crash on Fleur Drive last December is now on trial.
Keith Jones faces six criminal charges in connection to the Dec. 13, 2022 crash that killed 4-year-old Marcos Faguada and injured two others.
Jones, along with now-convicted Robert Miller III, were seen leaving a bar on the night of the crash. The pair then allegedly raced each other on Fleur Drive, which led to Miller crossing a median and hitting to oncoming cars.
Jones is accused of leaving the scene of the crash after it happened. In June, Miller was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Jones is charged with:
- Homicide by Vehicle — Operating While Intoxicated
- Homicide by Vehicle — Reckless Driving
- Homicide by Vehicle — Drag Racing
- Serious Injury by Operating Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated
- Serious Injury by Reckless Driving
- Leaving the scene of an accident causing death
Prosecutors urged the jury to listen to the witnesses that will take the stand in this trial, while the defense asked the jury to focus on the facts presented.
Jones is expected to testify about what he can remember happening that night. The defense argued Jones wasn't the one driving recklessly that night — since he allegedly stopped at lights and was not going as fast as Miller.
"He stopped. He stopped, he checked on his friend and he checked on the people that had been involved in the accident," Defense attorney Van Plumb said. "You will hear straight from Mr. Jones as to why he left, and you will hear what happened when he got home and started hearing the accounts of what happened and why he made a very bad decision and became extremely afraid."
But the prosecution told the court it aims to rely on video and witness evidence to show Jones' alleged reckless driving.
"Engaging in drag racing behavior is reckless. And it's those, that information, those facts, that evidence will be the same as it relates to Marcos and as it relates to Mira. Was he under the influence? Was he reckless?" Prosecution attorney Jaki Livingston said.
Witnesses traveling on Fleur Drive that night also took the stand, describing what they saw during the incident, with many of them saying they noticed a sedan, driven by Miller, and an SUV, driven by Jones, speeding and swerving between cars.
"The first thing I did was heard screaming um so my instinct was just to run toward the screaming," crash victim Jenifer Blanchard said.
The trial will continue Wednesday morning.