Motorcyclist injured in multi-vehicle crash in Newton found guilty of drag racing

The Newton woman who was severely injured in a motorcycle crash involving multiple vehicles in town last fall was found guilty of reckless driving, drag racing, speeding and driving while license denied, suspended, cancelled or revoked. The court made its decision on June 12 during a bench trial in Jasper County.

Harley “Morgan” Howe, 24, represented herself during the trial, did not call any witnesses and chose not to testify on her own behalf. The state offered testimony from state patrol troopers, a local police officer, witnesses and the driver of the vehicle who was crashed into by Howe and the driver of a Cadillac.

Evidence submitted at the trial included the accident reconstruction report, body camera footage, photos of the scene and Department of Transportation records.

According to court documents, on Oct. 27, 2024, Howe was in the left lane traveling eastbound on her Suzuki motorcycle along First Avenue East in town. In the right lane was a red Cadillac driven by Ryan Smith, also of Newton. Both of their vehicles were stopped at a light. The Cadillac was revving its engine.

When the light turned green, both the car and the motorcycle took off at a high rate of speed from the intersection of First Avenue East and East 14th Street. At the same time, a grey SUV driven by Randall Gunsaulus pulled out of the parking lot of Anytime Fitness near the intersection of First Avenue and East 17th Street.

Smith took evasive action in an attempt to avoid a collision, but he ended up crashing into the front of the SUV. Seconds later, Howe collided into the rear of the SUV, and the impact threw her from the motorcycle. Crash reports from the Iowa State Patrol indicated Howe was not wearing a helmet.

Howe sustained very severe injuries from the crash that required an air transport by helicopter to a Des Moines hospital. Following the crash, a GoFundMe page was created. It stated Howe underwent surgeries for a broken femur and the injuries to her face.

Individuals who were with Howe on other bikes reported to law enforcement that they were out “joyriding” that Sunday afternoon. At the time, Howe’s license was under suspension. She had a work permit allowing her to drive to and from work, but court documents stated that was not the case the day of the crash.

Witnesses described the actions of the Cadillac and Suzuki as racing, and most said the vehicles left the stop light at a high rate of speed.

Skid marks from the scene told investigators that Howe was traveling at a speed no less than 58 mph. The technical investigation report further stated it was possible both vehicles were traveling upwards of 90 mph. The motorcycle was not equipped with a black box so there is no dirt evidence of its speed.

Initially, Howe was charged for speeding 87 mph in a 35 mph zone. But based on the evidence from skid marks, the court determined she was traveling at a speed of 58 mph in a 35 mph zone. The court also declined to assume Howe was traveling at the same rate of speed as a Cadillac.

The court determined the location of the incident is a busy street and that it should have been apparent to Howe that accelerating at a high rate of speed to engage in drag racing with the Cadillac would be reckless and was a willful disregard for the safety of others.

Sentencing for Howe will be determined in early July. Smith, the driver of the Cadillac, has been charged with serious injury by motor vehicle — reckless driver and two counts of child endangerment. However, his case not been scheduled for trial just yet.

Assistant County Attorney Abigail Shepley, who prosecuted the case for the state, said drag racing of any kind is dangerous to other motorists on the road.

“Sometimes there are no injuries, sometimes there are and sometimes death results,” she said. “The people engaging in drag racing never know what kind of outcome they will ultimately have when they decide to race, but driving at high rates of speed on busy roadways shows a reckless disregard for other human lives.

“The Jasper County Attorney’s Office takes traffic safety seriously and I hope that this case can serve as a warning to the community of the dangers involved in reckless driving.”