Des Moines man convicted of vehicular homicide in child’s death

A Des Moines man was convicted of vehicular homicide and other charges related to a drag-racing crash that killed a 4-year-old boy in December 2022.   

The jury found Keith Eric Jones, 48, guilty of homicide by vehicle while drag racing; operating under the influence; reckless driving; and knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, all related to the death of Marcos Faguada. He was also convicted of OWI and reckless driving related to the injuries to Mayra De Catalan.   

According to evidence and testimony in the case, Mr. Jones and another man, Robert Lee Miller III, were drinking at the Wicked Rabbit at 1101 Army Post Road on Dec. 13, 2022. Mr. Jones had six shots and two mixed drinks at the bar in two hours and 20 minutes, surveillance video showed. The two left separately from the bar, driving west on Army Post and then north on Fleur Drive. Several witnesses testified seeing both vehicles speeding and driving erratically while racing each other. 

On Fleur Drive near Gray’s Lake, Mr. Miller’s Genesis sedan was traveling at speeds up to 108 mph when it crossed the median and struck a vehicle driven by Mayra De Catalan. Her son Thiago and her nephew, Marcos Faguada, were passengers in the vehicle. All three were taken to the hospital, and Marcos, age 4, died.   

Mr. Jones, driving a BWM SUV, did not stay at the scene of the accident. Officers later identified Jones as the driver of the BMW. After several weeks, his vehicle was recovered from a business garage in Chicago. 

Mr. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14. In Iowa, knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death carries a possible prison sentence of 10 years, and vehicular homicide by drag racing carries a possible sentence of 5 years. He could face additional penalties on the other charges.

The prosecuting attorney on the case was Jaki Livingston with assistance from Legal Assistant Chelsey Wilson. The case was investigated by Officer Bryan Wickett and other officers from the Des Moines Police Department.