(Algona)– Testimony continued Wednesday in the trial of a Burt teen charged in the death of A-J Preston of Ringsted.
Preston was found at the end of a farm lane northeast of Fenton during the early morning of January first. A party was going on at the residence.
18-year-old Delane Pederson of Burt is being tried in Kossuth County District Court on charges of operating while intoxicated-vehicular homicide, an alternate charge of reckless driving-vehicular homicide, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a death.
The prosecution presented several witnesses who testified Pederson was drinking at the party. They testified they considered him drunk due to his slurred speech and not being steady on his feet.
17-year-old Tanner Oleson of Armstrong testified Preston was his best friend, and Preston never mentioned anything about harming himself.
Armstrong police officer Jesse Rustad testified he was the first officer on the scene and marked out the area where Preston was found the morning of January first. He said he found no pulse when he examined Preston. Rustad said he interviewed several people at the party who stated another person, Ryan Rolling, was seen leaving the party while Preston was still at the farmhouse. Rustad testified he gave the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office information about three individuals leaving the scene in a blue car headed toward Burt.
Testimony continues today (Thursday) in Kossuth County District Court.
(From Bob Jennings, KLGA-Algona)
