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Jonathan Jack McCaffery, son of University of Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery, was found guilty of failure to yield to a pedestrian in the fatal crash that killed National Guard Soldier Corey Hite.
In May 2022, 16-year-old Jack McCaffery struck 45-year-old Corey Hite along Melrose Avenue at Kennedy Parkway in Iowa City. Subsequently, he was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian after police concluded that McCaffery was not using his phone, nor was he under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Following a trial that began on August 29, where Judge Mark Neary heard testimony from witnesses at the scene, the suspect was found guilty of the charge.
Jonathan Jack McCaffery was leaving school at the time of the accident
After a two-week trial, Jonathan “Jack” McCaffery, son of the University of Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery, was found guilty of failure to yield to a pedestrian in the fatal crash that killed Corey Hite, an Iowa National Guard Sgt. First Class from Cedar Rapids.
McCaffery, a junior at Iowa City West High School, was reportedly leaving school on May 22 and driving along Melrose Avenue near Kennedy Parkway when he drove past vehicles standing still in the right lane and struck Hite, who was crossing the road. Hite, who sustained skull and pelvic fractures, punctures in his lungs and additional injuries, died days later from his injuries.
During the trial, a witness at the scene, Lynn Wright, a postal carrier in Iowa City, testified that on the day of the incident, pedestrian Corey Hite was given the green light by a car on the right lane to cross the road with a crosswalk sign.
However, Hite, who began jogging across the road, failed to check the left lane from where McCaffery’s car barreled into the pedestrian. Lynn Wright said that McCaffery braked immediately after striking the victim.
“He started jogging across and he never stopped and looked to see if there were any cars coming in the left lane,” Wright said during her testimony. “[McCaffery] hit the brakes when he was hitting the guy but it was too late.”
Judge finds Jack McCaffery guilty of failing to adhere to rules of a crosswalk lane
The trial revealed that Jack McCaffery’s view of the right lane was obstructed by Lynn Wright's mail truck. This prevented McCaffery, who was on the left lane, from slowing down as he was not aware a pedestrian was crossing the road.
However, while the judge determined that McCaffery was not speeding during the incident, he said that the teen failed to adhere to the rules of the crosswalk by not slowing down to check for pedestrians on the road.
“Mr McCaffery’s failure to approach the crosswalk with care, either by slowing down and/or stopping when approaching the crosswalk in such a way to be able to avoid any contact with a pedestrian lawfully within the crosswalk, indicates that Mr McCaffery failed to meet the requirements of a reasonable driver in such a situation.”
According to Iowa law, Jack McCaffery faces a 180-day suspension of his driver's license and /or a potential $1,000 fine. The sentencing was set for October 13.
The victim in the accident, Corey Hite, was described as a dedicated Iowa Army National Guard soldier. According to his memorial page, Hite a father of four, was married to his wife for 22 years. Hite, who graduated from Marion High School, later obtained a bachelor’s degree in sociology as well as a master’s in education.
