Kelli Jo Michael was led to the courtroom in handcuffs by Fayette County Sheriff Marty Fisher for her sentencing, Monday, June 21. (Megan Molstead photos)
Driver sentenced to 10 years in Estling hit and run death
By Megan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com
Kelli Jo Michael was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 2018 hit-and-run death of a 14-year-old boy.
Kelli Jo Michael, 27, pled guilty earlier this month to vehicular homicide in the death of Kaiden Estling. As part of the plea deal, another charge was dropped and Michael admitted to driving recklessly. Michael was also ordered to pay the boy’s family $150,000 in restitution.
It was reported that Michael was texting and driving when she slammed into the back of Kaiden’s moped the night of June 28, 2018, along Iowa Highway 150 near Fayette. Michael fled the crash, police said, and Kaiden died at the scene.
