Joshua J. Brazeal, 28, last known to reside in La Cygne, Kan., was sentenced today in connection with the Aug. 19, 2014, death of Geraldine Strader.
Strader had been driving her 1998 Toyota Camry on Haskell Avenue, and she entered the intersection at 38th Street, in Kansas City, Kan., according to the district attorney’s office.
Brazeal had been driving a 2001 Cadillac Eldorado along 38th Street, and he entered the intersection at Haskell Avenue at a high rate of speed, according to the investigation by Kansas City, Kan., police. The Cadillac collided with the left front side of the Toyota, causing the Toyota to spin, the district attorney’s office stated. Strader was ejected from the Toyota and seriously injured. She died several hours later at an area hospital.
Brazeal had a passenger, Brianna Marshall, now 21, who lived on Osage Avenue, in Kansas City, Kan. She suffered a head injury in the collision, according to the district attorney’s office.
Despite suffering a broken ankle in the collision, Brazeal fled from the collision scene on foot, the district attorney’s office stated. He was located the next day after the collision at another area hospital.
The Cadillac driven by Brazeal had been reported stolen from a Kansas City, Kan., residence near 83rd and Leavenworth Road, about 38 hours before the collision, according to the district attorney’s office. After it was stolen it is believed to have been driven to Fort Scott, Kan., and back, according to the authorities.
Brazeal entered into a plea agreement and was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Strader’s death; and he was convicted of reckless aggravated battery in connection with Marshall’s injury.
Because he had previously been convicted of a felony, Brazeal was also convicted of criminal possession of a firearm.
In return for Brazeal’s pleas of guilty to these felony charges, the state dismissed two lesser charges, leaving the scene of the collision and having a suspended driver’s license.
Today, in Wyandotte County District Court, Brazeal, who has been held in custody since his arrest, was sentenced to five years for the manslaughter conviction, 9 months for the aggravated battery conviction, and 9 months for possessing the firearm.
Those sentences were ordered to be served consecutively in the Kansas Department of Corrections, a total of 6.5 years. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Brazeal was not granted probation.
Please note: At no time did the Strader Family request to avoid a lengthy trial. Nor was this solution palatable for the family. The plea agreement was presented to the family, and our concerns were not satisfactorily addressed by the District Attorney. The family would have much preferred to have had this case go to trial, but that option was not presented. We are a strong family, and could have handled, with dignity, a fair trial vs. a failed backroom plea agreement, in which even Joshua Brazeal denied involvement. The Strader Family met with Asst. District Attorney Shawn Boyd 48 minutes on 19 Dec 2014. A follow up phone call on 29 Jan 2015 provided details on additional dropped charges that were approved by the District Attorney’s Office. Visit: http://justice4strader.blogspot.com/