Man sentenced to prison for 2022 fatal crash into Mississippi River

MUSCATINE Co., Iowa (KWQC) – A Davenport man was sentenced Friday to 29 years in prison in connection with a crash into the Mississippi River in Muscatine County that killed a man.

A judge in October found Joshua Scott Peters, 38, guilty of homicide by vehicle, a Class B felony; operating a vehicle without owner’s consent, an aggravated misdemeanor; and driving while barred, an aggravated misdemeanor, following a bench trial.

He was found not guilty of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

During sentencing, the judge ordered Peters to pay $150,000 in restitution to the family of William Talbot, 71, also of Davenport.

According to arrest affidavits filed in Muscatine County District Court:

Around 12:06 a.m. April 21, 2022, deputies were dispatched to the Fairport Rec Area, 3284 Highway 22, for a report of a missing person and a stolen vehicle.

Deputies were told a blue 2016 Chevrolet Equinox was stolen from the campground and that Talbot, who is handicapped, was reported to be inside the vehicle at the time it was stolen.

Deputies had previously been dispatched to the same location for a disturbance but were unable to locate anyone or a vehicle involved in the incident.

Deputies met with Talbot’s wife and daughter, who said the vehicle had been stolen from the campground while they were setting up their tent with Talbot inside.

Deputies were then dispatched to the 1900 block of Tombstone Trail for a report of a man who had shown up at a home.

The man, later identified as Peters, was completely soaked in water and acting very strange. He said he believed he was in a car crash and was trying to get a ride to Davenport.

The homeowners held him at gunpoint until deputies arrived on scene.

During the investigation, deputies learned Peters, Talbot and his wife and daughter arrived at the campground around 8 p.m. Thursday.

Peters took methamphetamine at the campground around 9 p.m. Thursday. Around 11 p.m., an altercation reportedly happened between Peters and several other unidentified people.

He then frantically got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle and left the area with Talbot in the passenger seat. Witnesses said Talbot tried to get out of the vehicle but was unable to do so.

Peters initially turned west onto Highway 22 as he left the campground. Witnesses said he was driving very erratically, braking, swerving, and accelerating aggressively.

Peters conducted a u-turn and fled east on Highway 22 at a high rate of speed. While driving eastbound on Highway 22, Peters lost control of the vehicle, leaving the roadway in the south ditch in the 3800 block of Highway 22.

He struck a road sign and drove approximately 255 feet before reaching Tombstone Trail. Peters then turned south and drove the vehicle into the Mississippi River. As the vehicle began to submerge, Peters was able to get out of the vehicle, leaving Talbot inside.

The vehicle was located late Friday morning with Talbot located inside the vehicle, dead.

Peters exhibited signs of impairment and admitted to using methamphetamine the night before. He failed a standardized field sobriety test, according to the affidavit.

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