Two of the three teenagers charged with removing road construction barricades and causing a severe accident in Worth County in north-central Iowa are not wanting the media to fully cover their trial. 16-year-old Cory Tesch, 17-year-old Josh Johnson and 18-year-old Matthew Stromley, all of St. Ansgar, are facing second-degree criminal mischief charges and assault causing injury, both class “D” felonies. The trio allegedly removed barricades and warning signs from a construction site north of Grafton in Worth County last November. Grafton resident Randy Severson drove his truck into the work zone and into a trench. Severson spent three months in a Rochester Minnesota hospital where he underwent four major surgeries and physical therapy. Attorneys for Tesch and Stromley object to allowing cameras and recording devices in the courtroom. Tesch’s attorney says it would be prejudicial to his client because of his age and ability level. A Worth County District Court judge hear arguments about expanded media coverage yesterday and could make a ruling later this week.
