Des Moines man charged with homicide in death of mom of 10

Teresa Kay Albertson, Des Moines Register
·2 min read
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Guy W. Lawrence III, 21, was charged Sept. 9 with homicide by vehicle - operating under the influence. Lawrence is accused of crashing into a car Aug. 3 at NE 43rd Court and Hubbell, killing Susan Kelly, 49, who was a passenger in the second car.

A Des Moines man faces a vehicular homicide charge in the death of a mother.

Guy W. Lawrence III, 21, was charged Friday with homicide by vehicle — operating under the influence, a class B felony, in the death of 49-year-old Susan Kelly.

Lawrence is accused of crashing into a car where Kelly was a passenger at Hubbell Avenue and NE 43rd Court at 6:37 p.m. Aug. 8. The driver of the other car was Kelly's 18-year-old daughter, Bethany Kelly. Susan Kelly's 10-year-old son was in the backseat with her.

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Five people from the two cars were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Court documents filed at the time of the crash stated Lawrence was speeding when it occurred.

"Lawrence admitted to drinking alcohol and 'smoking bud' prior to the collision," the criminal complaint states.

A blood sample showed Lawrence had tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in his system. THC is the substance that’s primarily responsible for the effects of marijuana on a person’s mental state, according to the NIH.

"Defendant had bloodshot, watery eyes and slurred speech," the complaint said.

Susan Kelly was born in Waupun, Wisconsin, 18 miles southwest of Fond du Lac. She left behind a husband and 10 children, according to her obituary. Kelly was also a long-time beekeeper and member of the Iowa Honey Producers Association.

A GoFundMe set up by a family friend to support the family raised $17,134, exceeding the goal of $15,000.

Lawrence is scheduled for arraignment at 8 a.m. Sept. 19. The maximum penalty for a class B felony is 25 years in prison.

Lawrence is being held at the Polk County Jail.

Kelly's death was the 12th traffic fatality of 2022 in Des Moines. As of Sept. 9, there have been 231 traffic fatalities in the state, according to the DOT. That is three more than the same time last year.

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Teresa Kay Albertson covers crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her at talbertson@registermedia.com or 515-419-6098.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines man charged with homicide - operating under the influence