IOWA CITY, Iowa — Chief Judge Adria Kester Charged with OWI
Adria Kester, chief judge of Iowa’s Second Judicial District, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated after witnesses say she was found slumped over the wheel and driving the wrong way on U.S. Highway 30 near Boone late Tuesday night.
Court records indicate motorists called 911 after 8 p.m. to report a pickup truck traveling east in the westbound lanes. One witness told investigators the driver appeared unconscious and that the vehicle had entered the highway median. According to the complaint, a bystander climbed through the truck’s rear window to put the 2026 GMC Canyon Denali in park and turn it off because the driver’s door would not open.
A Boone County sheriff’s deputy who responded wrote that he found Kester, 55, of Ogden, in the driver’s seat appearing heavily intoxicated and unsteady. The deputy said she could not walk unassisted and was taken by ambulance for medical evaluation. After being cleared by medical personnel, Kester declined to say whether she would attempt field sobriety tests, and the deputy determined testing would not be safe given her condition.
A warrant was issued to obtain a blood sample at Boone County Hospital. Kester was arrested on a first-offense operating-while-intoxicated charge and was booked into the Boone County Jail about 4 a.m. County officials said the blood specimen will be sent to the state crime lab for analysis.
"This is a tough situation for both the Kester family and the sheriff's office," Boone County Sheriff Andy Godzicki said, adding that deputies were instructed to treat the judge like any other suspect. He also expressed relief that no one was injured.
Kester pleaded not guilty in a court filing submitted by her attorney, Matt Lindholm, who is well known in Iowa for defending drunk-driving cases. In a statement, Lindholm said, "Judge Kester recognizes the seriousness of the situation and is fully cooperating with law enforcement and the judicial process. She is committed to addressing this matter responsibly and in accordance with the law."
Following an initial court appearance Wednesday morning, Kester was released without bond and ordered to undergo a substance-abuse evaluation and follow any recommended treatment within 30 days.
Judicial and prosecutorial conflicts
Kester’s role as chief judge — a position she was appointed to by Iowa Chief Justice Susan Christensen in December 2022 and to the bench by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2017 — complicated handling of the case. One district associate judge recused herself because of a professional relationship with Kester. Chief Justice Christensen signed an order assigning a judge from another district; Judge Gregory Brandt was designated to handle the matter. The Boone County Attorney’s Office also cited a conflict and asked the court to appoint the Polk County Attorney’s Office as a special prosecutor.
The Iowa Judicial Branch declined further comment, noting the matter is a pending case and a personnel matter. The seven-member Judicial Qualifications Commission can investigate alleged judicial misconduct and recommend discipline, retirement or removal to the Iowa Supreme Court.
Background: Kester supervises courts across 22 counties in northern and central Iowa as chief judge. Prior to the bench, she worked as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney.
