Charles City man pleads guilty to vehicular homicide

CHARLES CITY — A plea agreement has been made in the vehicular homicide case of a Charles City man.

30-year-old Jesse Blade was charged after authorities said he failed to stop at the intersection of Rudd Park Road and Glass Avenue on the morning of October 26th of last year, crashing into a vehicle driven by Ronald Fisher of Mason City. The crash killed nine-year-old Royce Fisher and injured Ronald Fisher, Sara Fisher and 11-year-old Aidyn Kline.

A police report stated Blade was driving 53 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone when he went through a stop sign and caused the crash. Authorities say his blood alcohol level was measured at .137, well over the legal limit of .08.

Blade had pleaded not guilty to charges back in April, but online court records show that he pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Floyd County District Court to: one count of vehicular homicide by operating while intoxicated, a Class B felony; three counts of serious injury by vehicle, each count a Class D felony; and one count of second offense OWI, an aggravated misdemeanor. B

lade had also been previously charged with vehicular homicide by reckless driving, a Class C felony.

Online court records did not indicate a sentencing date. With the guilty pleas, Blade faces up to a total of 37 years in prison.