(Algona)– The state has rested its case in the Delane Pederson trial.
The Burt teen is being tried in Kossuth County District Court on charges in connection with the January first hit and run death of A-J Preston of Ringsted. Preston was found at the end of a farm lane northeast of Fenton after being run over by a car. He was at a New Year’s Eve party at the nearby farmhouse.
Pederson’s girlfriend, Alicia Elbert of Algona, testified Friday Pederson was the initial driver when Pederson, Elbert and Nick Symonds left the party in the early morning of January first. She said after hitting a dark object and getting stuck, Symonds got into the driver’s seat and Pederson got out and pushed the car. Elbert says Symonds drove them back to Burt and parked the car at Pederson’s house. Elbert testified she was in Pederson’s bedroom when he told her they had hit a human body. Elbert said it was at that time that she and Pederson agreed to say Symonds was driving the car the entire time. Elbert told jurors she finally admitted that Pederson was the initial driver during a January third interview with law enforcement officers.
Bill Basler of the Iowa D-C-I testified it was also in a January third interview at the office Pederson’s attorney when Pederson finally admitted to being the initial driver of the car. Basler told the jury Pederson admitted to being “hammered” as he had six beers and shots of everclear at the New Year’s Eve party. Basler said, however, Pederson denied knowing there was a body under the car as he claimed he never looked under the vehicle when it became stuck on the farm lane.
The defense presents its case Tuesday.
From Bob Jennings, KLGA, Algona.
