A high-ranking Iowa judicial official is facing operating while intoxicated charges after multiple witnesses reported seeing her driving in the wrong direction on a highway Tuesday evening while appearing unconscious at the wheel.
Adria Kester, who serves as chief judge of Iowa’s Second Judicial District, was released from Boone County Jail Wednesday morning, according to court documents.
Emergency dispatchers received 911 calls shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday from motorists who spotted a truck traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 30 near Boone. According to a criminal complaint, one witness described the driver as appearing unconscious and slumped over the steering wheel before the vehicle drifted into the highway median.
A bystander attempted to assist by approaching the vehicle but was unable to access it from the doors while it continued moving slowly through the median. The witness reportedly climbed through the rear window to place the vehicle in park and turn off the ignition.
Law Enforcement Response
When a Boone County sheriff’s deputy arrived, he found Kester, 55, of Ogden, in the driver’s seat showing signs of severe intoxication and unable to maintain balance. The complaint states she could not walk independently and required assistance to an ambulance for medical evaluation.
Following medical clearance, Kester remained unable to walk and declined to answer questions about submitting to field sobriety tests. The deputy determined such testing would be unsafe given her condition.
Authorities obtained a warrant for a blood sample at Boone County Hospital. Kester was arrested on a first-offense OWI charge and booked into jail around 4 a.m. The complaint does not disclose any test results.
Judicial Complications
Kester’s prominent position has created complications for the legal proceedings. One district associate judge recused herself Wednesday, citing a “professional relationship” with Kester. Iowa Chief Justice Susan Christensen subsequently issued an order requiring a judge from another district to oversee the case, with Judge Gregory Brandt later assigned.
The Boone County Attorney’s Office also requested appointment of a special prosecutor due to conflicts of interest, asking that the Polk County Attorney’s Office handle the case.
At her initial court appearance Wednesday morning, a judge released Kester without bond but ordered her to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and comply with any recommended treatment within 30 days.
Kester’s Background
Chief Justice Christensen appointed Kester as chief judge of the Second Judicial District in December 2022. The district encompasses 22 counties across northern and central Iowa, making it the state’s largest geographically. In her role, Kester oversees hundreds of judges and court staff while also presiding over cases.
Prior to her appointment as chief judge, Kester served as a district judge after being appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds in 2017. She previously worked as both a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.
