A 38-year-old Davenport man has been sentenced to serve up to 29 years in prison after he drove into the Mississippi River in 2022 and another man died in the car.

On Friday, Joshua Peters appeared in Muscatine County Court with his attorney, court records show.

For a felony charge of homicide by vehicle, he was sentenced to a period not to exceed 25 years. He also was ordered “to obtain a substance abuse evaluation and successfully complete any recommended treatment, and to complete a drinking driver’s course as required by Iowa Code.” Additionally, he was ordered to pay $150,000 to a family member of 71-year-old William Talbot, who died in the incident.

Also, for an aggravated misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, he was sentenced to serve a period not to exceed two years, and he was sentenced to pay a fine of $855.

Additionally, for a charge of driving while barred, an aggravated misdemeanor, he was sentenced to serve a period not to exceed two years.

He will receive credit for time served in the Muscatine County Jail in connection with the case.

The sentences shall run consecutively, or one after the other, according to court documents.

A crash and a theft in April 2022

On April 22, 2022, arrest affidavits show deputies were dispatched to the Fairport Rec Area at 3284 Highway 22 for a report of a missing person/stolen vehicle. Responding deputies were advised a blue 2016 Chevrolet Equinox was stolen from the campground, and Talbot was reported to be inside at the time of the theft.

Deputies previously had been dispatched to the same location for a disturbance but were unable to locate any subjects or a vehicle involved in the incident, according to affidavits.

Deputies arrived on the scene and met with the missing man’s family, who said the Chevy had been stolen from the campground while they were setting up their tent.

While deputies were speaking to Talbot’s family, a man showed up at a Montpelier residence “completely soaked in water and acting very strange.” The man said he believed he was in a car accident and was trying to get a ride to Davenport, affidavits say.

Affidavits say “The homeowners held (Peters) at gunpoint until deputies arrived on scene.”

After an investigation, law enforcement alleges in affidavits that Peters said he ingested methamphetamine at about 9 p.m. April 21, then about 11 p.m. he became involved in an altercation with unidentified people.

“Peters frantically got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle and fled the scene with William in the passenger seat. Witnesses advised (Talbot) attempted to get out of the vehicle and was unable to do so. Peters stole the vehicle and fled the scene with no permission from either registered owner,” according to arrest affidavits.

Peters initially turned west onto Highway 22 as he fled the campground, affidavits show. Witnesses said Peters was driving very erratically, braking, swerving, and accelerating in an aggressive manner. Peters conducted a U-turn and drove east on Highway 22 “at a high rate of speed,” affidavits continue.

“While traveling eastbound on Highway 22, Peters lost control of the vehicle, leaving the roadway in the south ditch in the 3800 block of Highway 22,” affidavits say. “Peters struck a road sign and drove approximately 255 feet before reaching Tombstone Trail. Upon reaching Tombstone Trail, Peters turned south and drove the vehicle into the Mississippi River.”

As the Chevy began to submerge, Peters was able to get out of the vehicle, leaving Talbot inside as the Equinox submerged.

Muscatine County Search and Rescue found the Chevy just south of the boat ramp at Clarks Ferry Recreational Area in Montpelier, submerged in the Mississippi River. The Equinox was recovered and William Talbot, who had been missing for two days, was found deceased inside, according to a news release and court documents.

Talbot’s daughter, who identified Talbot as the deceased man, earlier told Our Quad Cities News that Peters was her sister’s boyfriend.

In June, 37-year-old Lindsay Frey pleaded guilty to a charge of false report of an indictable offense to a public entity in connection with the case. She was sentenced to 180 days in Muscatine County Jail, with 170 days suspended and credit for any days served, and was placed on two years of unsupervised probation, court records say.