Des Moines man sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing friend while driving drunk

A Des Moines man was sentenced up to 25 years in prison Friday after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide by OWI.

Myint Lwin, 53, of Des Moines admitted to driving drunk and unintentionally killing Parreh Ngar, 47, in May 2024.

Police responded to a report of a Honda Accord crashing into a house in the 3900 block of 12^th Street in Des Moines on May 24, 2024. Mr. Lwin was the driver. Evidence showed that Mr. Lwin had backed his car into Mr. Ngar, who had gotten out of the Honda, and then into the house. The defendant had a blood alcohol level of .195, according to police.

The defendant must pay $150,000 in restitution to the estate of the victim and participate in a victim-offender dialogue, if the victim’s family so chooses.

Two of Mr. Ngar’s daughters gave victim-impact statements at the sentencing and said their father considered the defendant a friend.

“He was taken from us because of someone’s reckless decision, by someone who knew better,” said Soemeh, 22. She graduated from Iowa State University two weeks before the tragedy.

“After everything he had been through – fleeing persecution in Myanmar to escape violence and oppression, leaving his family behind to start a new life in the United States -- it was his greatest wish for us to succeed,” Soemeh said. “He came here seeking a better future for himself and his children. He left his family to create one of his own, and he dedicated his life to giving us better opportunities.”

His youngest daughter, Poe Meh, said she will graduate from high school on the anniversary of her father’s death. In one of her last conversations with her father, she said, he asked her to help him improve his English.

“He had an outgoing personality. He was also funny making those around him laugh and always was smiling,” she said. “My dad filled our lives with joy.”

Mr. Ngar was a paramedic in Myanmar before resettled in the United States in 2009. He is survived by a wife and four children.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant County Attorney Jaki Livingston with assistance from Chelsey Wilson. The investigation was led by Des Moines Police Officers Bryan Wickett and Brian Kelley.