Mother calls Iowa City man ‘monster’ who took daughter’s life in drag racing crash

IOWA CITY — The family of a 22-year-old Waterloo woman killed in 2023 after being struck as two teens drag raced asked a judge Monday to give an Iowa City man the maximum prison term allowed, calling him a “sociopath and monster” and vowing to never forgive him for taking their “beautiful and loving” daughter and sister.

Kelly Russell, mother of Jennifer Russell, who was killed May 27, 2023 after her car was struck by a vehicle driven by Kesean Ford, 19, said and she and her family had suffered “excruciating pain” for two years because Ford wouldn’t admit his guilt.

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Half the courtroom was filled with Russell’s family and friends who supported the family and many wore “Justice for Jennifer” T-shirts. Ford’s family and friends also attended the sentencing in Johnson County District Court.

In February, Ford pleaded to homicide by vehicle-excessive speed over 25 mph, a Class C felony. His other two charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

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The Waterloo mother, tearing up throughout her statement, said her daughter was just starting her life. She had started as a manager at Jethro’s BBQ in Coralville and was on her way home that night. She said it was “chilling” to think her daughter had no idea what was going to happen after she stopped at the intersection of E. Court Street and S. Seventh Avenue in Iowa City.

“You are a monster and a coward,” Kelly Russell told Ford. “You haven’t had any empathy. You acted like you were the victim in this, but you were one who ran the stop sign and was speeding.”

Kelly Russell was on the phone with her daughter at the time of the crash and heard a man — an eyewitness to the crash — screaming. The mother didn’t know what was happening. She initially thought her daughter was being abducted.

She and her husband got in the car and started driving to Iowa City and then got a call from the hospital emergency room and learned about the “violent drag racing crash.”

Kelly Russell told Ford he not only took her daughter’s life, but also several pieces of so many others who loved the young woman.

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She asked 6th Judicial District Judge Michael Harris to give Ford the maximum sentence of 10 years, adding it was a “small price to pay” for taking her child’s life.

Matt Russell, Jennifer’s dad, said his “beautiful and loving” daughter didn’t deserve to die. He said everything in the judicial system had been messed up from the start of the case — the police, county attorney, courts and hospital failed them, he said. He criticized the penalty for vehicular homicide, saying it deserves more than 10 years in prison.

The Waterloo father said Ford didn’t deserve probation because he already had been on probation twice in juvenile court for other violent crimes, and both times it was revoked for violations. Ford was on probation for robbery when the crash happened, Matt Russell noted.

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“I’ll hate you forever. I hope you rot,” he told Ford.

Tyler Russell, Jennifer’s brother, said Ford was a “sociopath” who took the life of his sister to show off for his friends, who were in his vehicle that night. He said he would never forgive Ford and hoped his sister’s death would haunt him for the rest of his life.

‘Worst mistake’

Ford, who was 17 at the time, said he had a “heavy heart and deep remorse” for the crash. “I made the worst mistake of my life,” he said. “I was driving too fast.”

Ford said he didn’t intend to harm anyone. He said he thinks about it every day and regrets the heartbreak for her family.

He apologized to the Russell family for his “reckless choice” that night.

‘Violent history’

Assistant Johnson County Attorney Jeffrey Brunelle asked Judge Harris to sentence Ford to up to 10 years in prison, citing his previous failures on probation and his “violent history” of assaults and robbery as a juvenile.

Brunelle, in arguing for a prison term, also said Ford was more culpable than Elijah Seals, the other drag racer convicted in the fatal crash.

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Ford rammed his Saturn Vue into the driver’s side of a Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Jennifer Russell, at a 90-degree angle. The Vue was pushed into a GMC Acadia, driven by Seals, and then spun around into a utility pole, he said.

About two seconds before impact, Ford was driving 70 mph, the vehicle’s data showed. Russell, according her vehicle information, was going 20 mph sideways after being struck by Ford.

Ford was driving on the wrong side of the two-way street, drag racing with Seals, and he didn’t stop at that intersection before striking the Malibu, Brunelle said.

Ford also told police different stories of what happened. He blamed Seals for striking Russell’s car, then he said he was stopped at the intersection and Russell swerved and struck him. Ford had tried to blame the victim, Brunelle said.

Jeffrey Powell, Ford’s attorney, said it was “a horrible” accident but Ford didn’t intend to cause her death. He cited Ford’s young age said he had demonstrated over these two years he was capable of change and had taken responsibility for this offense.

Powell asked the judge for a suspended sentence and probation.

‘Highly dangerous behavior’

Judge Harris said he considered Ford’s age, along with other factors and circumstances. Ford’s “highly dangerous behavior” led to death, Harris said.

Based on his history of probation revocations, Ford wasn’t “amenable” to probation and the judge said he was concerned about future offenses.

Harris sentenced Ford to up to 10 years in prison. He also ordered the teen to pay $150,000 jointly with Seals to the estate of Jennifer Russell, in accordance with Iowa law. Harris also will send a notice of conviction to the Iowa Department of Transportation, which likely will revoke Ford’s driver’s license.

(Editor’s note 5/29/25: Updated story to show Kesean Ford was driving on the wrong side of a two-way street when the crash occurred.)

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