Man charged in deaths of students
Matt Snyders - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 6/27/06 Section: Metro
- Page 1 of 1
A man allegedly responsible for the deaths of two UI students and for injuring three others has been charged by Pottawatomie County authorities with two counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of serious injury by motor vehicle.
Court documents allege that 21-year-old Rudolph Huebner was traveling 97 mph and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.18 - well over the state's 0.08 limit - when his vehicle struck David Hartwig's, killing Mark McCloy and Brooke Walton and injuring Hartwig, Paul Dornbier, and Chris Wallner, all UI students.
According to an affidavit filed by Pottawatomie County investigator Leland Bennett, Huebner's passengers - Crista Dethloff and Emily Ortman - had been screaming at Huebner to slow down and cease his erratic driving before his Pontiac Grand Prix struck Hartwig's Oldsmobile Intrigue at the interchange of Interstate 80 and County Highway G30, near Underwood, Iowa. Huebner kept replying, "I feel crazy tonight," Ortman said.
Authorities say they discovered a 24-pack of Bud Light with 15 cans missing in Huebner's car upon arriving at the scene. Huebner had reportedly been attempting to hide the remaining nine cans in his backseat.
Friends of Walton and McCloy voiced restrained gratification upon hearing the news of Huebner's arrest.
"I'm glad he got arrested," said UI student Sara Baber, who attended Waverly-Shellrock High School with Walton. "It will bring some closure."
While Baber hopes the arrest will finalize the experience, a friend of McCloy's had other thoughts.
"We're all moving on," said Nathan Peterson, a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brother of McCloy, who served as the organization's president. "The arrest isn't necessary for closure, but it's a good thing he's being held accountable."
A Facebook group created in McCloy's memory sums up his likability: "Mark McCloy: You Couldn't Know a Better Guy."
Walton was also active on campus. A popular resident assistant in Hillcrest, the Cedar Falls native also participated in UI Mock Trial.
Huebner, who lives in Underwood, faces a preliminary hearing July 27. Vehicular homicide is a Class-B felony and carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, while serious injury by motor vehicle is a Class-D felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Online court records show Huebner was convicted of failure to stop in a safe/sure distance in November 2001 and of failure to maintain control in February 2005, among other traffic violations.
E-mail DI reporter Matt Snyders at:
matthew-snyders@uiowa.edu
Court documents allege that 21-year-old Rudolph Huebner was traveling 97 mph and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.18 - well over the state's 0.08 limit - when his vehicle struck David Hartwig's, killing Mark McCloy and Brooke Walton and injuring Hartwig, Paul Dornbier, and Chris Wallner, all UI students.
According to an affidavit filed by Pottawatomie County investigator Leland Bennett, Huebner's passengers - Crista Dethloff and Emily Ortman - had been screaming at Huebner to slow down and cease his erratic driving before his Pontiac Grand Prix struck Hartwig's Oldsmobile Intrigue at the interchange of Interstate 80 and County Highway G30, near Underwood, Iowa. Huebner kept replying, "I feel crazy tonight," Ortman said.
Authorities say they discovered a 24-pack of Bud Light with 15 cans missing in Huebner's car upon arriving at the scene. Huebner had reportedly been attempting to hide the remaining nine cans in his backseat.
Friends of Walton and McCloy voiced restrained gratification upon hearing the news of Huebner's arrest.
"I'm glad he got arrested," said UI student Sara Baber, who attended Waverly-Shellrock High School with Walton. "It will bring some closure."
While Baber hopes the arrest will finalize the experience, a friend of McCloy's had other thoughts.
"We're all moving on," said Nathan Peterson, a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brother of McCloy, who served as the organization's president. "The arrest isn't necessary for closure, but it's a good thing he's being held accountable."
A Facebook group created in McCloy's memory sums up his likability: "Mark McCloy: You Couldn't Know a Better Guy."
Walton was also active on campus. A popular resident assistant in Hillcrest, the Cedar Falls native also participated in UI Mock Trial.
Huebner, who lives in Underwood, faces a preliminary hearing July 27. Vehicular homicide is a Class-B felony and carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, while serious injury by motor vehicle is a Class-D felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Online court records show Huebner was convicted of failure to stop in a safe/sure distance in November 2001 and of failure to maintain control in February 2005, among other traffic violations.
E-mail DI reporter Matt Snyders at:
matthew-snyders@uiowa.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 14
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 6:52 AM CST
i hope they put that fool in prison for life
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 12:00 PM CST
It is criminal that one person's poor judgement and irresponsibility has taken the lives of two wonderful and bright people. The pain and suffering that he has caused is beyond belief. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 12:03 PM CST
As a parent of one of these students involved in the accident I can only hope and pray that others will never have to go through what we, and the other families have, especially Brooke and Mark's families. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 12:33 PM CST
This question is not to do with this particular story but of something similar: a trial concerning the death of the husband of a former U of I student--while they lived in Iowa City--it's an arson causing death trial in federal court. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 1:26 PM CST
And as usual, the courts will give him a lighter sentence.
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 1:45 PM CST
Mark, I miss you
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 1:47 PM CST
Moving on with our lives? No Mark, Brooke, David and Chris's families are not moving on with their lives. Mark and Brooke's parents have a life sentance of grief. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 3:36 PM CST
Mark I love you.
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 4:34 PM CST
Brooke also has a facebook group in tribute to what an amazing young lady she was. If you're going to mention one, you should mention the other. They're both greatly missed by anyone and everyone who knew them and they were both astonishingly talented, smart, and caring people. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/27/06 @ 5:21 PM CST
Its not fair how such a worthless waste of life could take from us two amazing individuals - I hope Rudolph is punished to the highest degree the law allows and is made an example to anyone even considering drinking and driving. (Continued…)
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