The 22-year-old Bloomington woman who allegedly drove away after striking and killing an IU junior riding an electric scooter Sept. 18, 2022, pleaded guilty to two felonies Tuesday after reaching a plea agreement.
IU alumna Madelyn Howard pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident — a level 3 felony and the most severe charge she faces. She also pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a level 4 felony.
According to the plea agreement, two lower-level felonies Howard originally faced were dropped — causing death when operating a vehicle with an alcohol level of .08 or more and reckless homicide.
Howard’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 6.
Nate Stratton, a 20-year-old student, died after Howard reportedly veered into the bicycle lane at the intersection of North Walnut Street and East 12th Street while driving home from Kilroy’s Sports Bar, where she was an employee. She allegedly struck Nate as he rode an electric scooter home from Raising Cane’s around 2 a.m.
Court documents say Howard continued to drive for over four blocks on Walnut Street, two blocks east on 17th street, then two more blocks north on Lincoln Street before finally stopping because of damage to her car. Once the car stopped, one witness told police a group of people approached Howard and her passenger to notify them that they had been dragging a scooter beneath the car. Video from an Uber driver showed the car turning on 17th street after the crash, dragging the scooter underneath it and kicking up sparks.
According to court documents, Howard had a blood alcohol level of .226 — almost three times the legal limit of .08.
“People need to be held accountable for their actions,” Nate’s dad, Brad Stratton, said. “We're looking for the maximum sentence for this judge to enforce, and we think that should send a message to the community that this is inexcusable.”
The Stratton family worked with Monroe County Prosecutor’s office to negotiate the plea deal and hopes Howard will receive a harsh sentence. The maximum sentence a level 3 felony carries in Indiana is 16 years.
However, Brad said he derives no joy from the legal proceedings. While all days without Nate are tough, he said the increased attention around the case made Tuesday especially difficult. After a day full of calls, texts and emails about the plea agreement, Brad saw a news alert flash across his phone around 10 p.m.: a hit and run had killed a young man on the highway just outside their Colorado town. As long as these events continue, Brad said the wound Nate’s death left will continue to reopen.
“There’s no victory in this for us,” Brad said.
In addition to the criminal case, Brad and Elizabeth Stratton, Nate’s mom, filed a civil lawsuit against both Madelyn Howard and Kilroy’s Sports Bar in November 2022. Brad said it haunts him that, in this day and age, his son’s death could have been so easily prevented. From ride services like Uber and Lyft to designated drivers, he said there is no excuse for drunk driving.
“My family got a life sentence,” Brad said. “We grieve Nate every day. We think about him every day.”
When Brad thinks of Nate, he said he most often reflects on how he gracefully handled the adversity of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Other times he thinks of his kindness, or his talent as a ski racer.
“Nobody can imagine unless it’s happened to them,” Brad said. “It is the worst nightmare. Every morning and every evening, it’s the first thing you think about and the last thing you think about going to bed. And it’ll be that way for the rest of my life.”
When someone new asks about his family, Brad tells them he has three kids — Nate and two daughters. He tells them he lost his son. Often, he said, people don’t know what to say.
“So many people don’t know how to react to that because it’s everybody’s worst nightmare,” Brad said. “The way to react to it is to say his name and to acknowledge who he was and what a great person he was.”
Brad finds a way to acknowledge Nate every day. Most days, that means skiing the last run he and Nate skied together.
“When you’re out drinking and having a good time and doing what college students do, be a leader not a follower. Make sure people are taken care of, don’t drive drunk, get somebody an Uber, take care of people who are struggling,” Brad said. “Be kind like Nate would have been kind.”
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect the maximum sentence for a level 3 felony in Indiana and to clarify when the plea was made.
