Charles City woman sentenced to up to 27 years in prison for OWI deaths of Mason City couple

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City woman has been sentenced to up to 27 years in prison for causing the deaths of a Mason City couple in a traffic accident last year.

Casey Jo Lindahl, age 29, was sentenced in Floyd County District Court this week.

District Court Judge Chris Foy sentenced Lindahl to an indeterminate term not to exceed 25 years each on two charges of homicide by vehicle, causing a death while operating under the influence, Class B felonies, with the sentences to be served concurrently (at the same time).

Foy sentenced her to to an indeterminate term not to exceed two years on a charge of child endangerment, with that sentence to be served consecutively with the other two, resulting in a total of up to 27 years that can be served.

Lindahl caused the deaths of Chris Andersen, age 77, and Anita Andersen, age 76, of Mason City, in a traffic accident that occurred the afternoon of Sept. 4, 2021, west of Colwell, when Lindahl crossed the center line and crashed her vehicle head-on into the Andersen vehicle.

According to the criminal complaints filed in Floyd County District Court, a search warrant was ordered to take a blood sample from Lindahl and the result showed she had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.146%. A blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater is considered evidence of driving while intoxicated under Iowa law.

Lindahl was charged with child endangerment because her 3-year-old son was in her car when she was driving while intoxicated. That charge is an aggravated misdemeanor. Lindahl and her son, who was in the back seat, received minor injuries in the crash, according to the Iowa State Patrol report.

Lindahl entered a written plea of guilty to all charges, including a traffic violation for driving on the wrong side of the road, in a petition filed in April.

As part of the sentencing, Judge Foy also ordered Lindahl to pay $150,000 in restitution for each of the victims, as well as additional damages to the victims as set forth in a statement of damages that will be filed by the Floyd County Attorney’s Office within 30 days.

He also ordered Lindahl to pay a fine of $855 plus 15% surcharge on the child endangerment charge, but suspended that fine.

The traffic charge was dismissed with court costs assessed to Lindahl.

Under Iowa’s indeterminate sentencing, a judge sets the maximum time a person can be incarcerated, based on state sentencing guidelines. A parole board determines the actual amount of time a person will spend in prison up to the maximum time in the sentence, based on the person’s actions while in prison and other factors. A prisoner who exhibits good behavior while incarcerated will frequently serve less than half of the maximum sentence.