The man who allegedly hit 71-year-old Stephanie Markert in Iowa on January 30, 2020, has been taken into custody. According to the Des Moines Register, Isaias Flores-Morales, 41, was behind the wheel of a blue Ford Expedition when he hit Markert who was crossing the road. Police were not able to identify the driver who was responsible for the accident when it occurred as Morales fled the scene in another vehicle.
The news source reported that after the accident transpired, a minivan pulled up behind the SUV and that is the vehicle Morales used to get away. He left the scene, never looking back to see what had happened to the woman he hit. Police did, however, encounter a woman who alleged she hit the woman. The source says that after the woman was confronted with witness accounts, her story quickly changed.
It turns out, the woman who was attempting to take the blame for the accident was Morales’ longtime girlfriend and the mother of his children. She told police that Morales was the one who hit the woman and that he was drunk at the time of the accident. Because he feared he would go to prison, he fled the scene. He also threatened to kill her if she informed police of his whereabouts. After officers conducted a search of the SUV, they did recover unopened alcohol containers.
Suspect Flees to Another State
While Morales managed to make his way into Illinois, he was later detained in Zion, a town located approximately 50 miles north of Chicago. He was charged with “leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, driving without a license, driving without insurance, fleeing prosecution and first-degree harassment.” Apparently, Morales was not in possession of a valid driver’s license at the time of the accident nor was he carrying insurance.
Victim of Drunk Driving Accident Succumbs to Her Injuries
After Markert was struck by Morales, she suffered bleeding in her brain along with other serious injuries. While she managed to survive the accident, she succumbed to her injuries and passed away about a week later. The news source says that Markert was the “house mother” for Delta Gamma sorority’s Drake chapter.
Taking Legal Action After a Drunk Driving Accident in Cedar Rapids, IA
If a loved one of yours was killed in an alcohol-related accident in Cedar Rapids, IA and you are seeking justice for their untimely death, call Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, P.L.C. at (319) 393-1020 to speak with a Cedar Rapids, IA drunk driving accident lawyer. The dedicated attorneys at this firm can help you understand your rights and what you can do to ensure justice is served.