Teen pleads guilty to charge in highway death of Peoria woman

Monday, October 15, 2007 11:06 PM CDT

By Associated Press

PEORIA -- A 15-year-old boy charged with murder for dropping a concrete block from a highway overpass and killing a 26-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

Rakiem Campbell pleaded guilty to vehicular endangerment in the death of Katrina Kelley of Peoria. He also pleaded guilty to a rash of other crimes -including arson and aggravated battery -and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Peoria County prosecutors dropped murder charges against Campbell in exchange for his guilty pleas.

According to prosecutors, Campbell told police he hoisted the foot-long landscaping brick onto Interstate 74 but didn’t mean to hurt anyone.

Kelley died after suffering massive chest injuries when the brick hit the car in which she was a passenger.

(Thanks Jim Garrott, WEEK-TV, Peoria)