A Red Oak man charged in connection with a September 5^th, 2011 go-cart accident that critically injured his two-year old son, was sentenced late last month to serve one-year in jail, with all but 90-days of the term suspended. According to on-line court records, on February 27^th 35-year-old Shawn Michael Soar entered a written plea of guilty, to Child Endangerment causing bodily injury, and 1^st offense OWI charges. The charges were reduced from felony offenses when the mother of Ryan Soar agreed to plea deal. Judge James Heckerman placed Shawn Soar on a work-release probation, and ordered him to treatment for one-year at Zion Recovery Services.  He must also pay fines and related court costs amounting to $2,000, plus attorney’s fees.

The incident which lead to Soar’s arrest took place at around 9:15-p.m. September 5^th, when the go-kart he and his son were riding hit a parked pickup truck, in the 700-block of East Grimes Street in Red Oak. Lab results indicated Soar’s alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit for allowed driving, in Iowa. Shawn Soar suffered minor injuries in the crash, but Ryan was flown by helicopter to a trauma center in Omaha. He was later released, but the child, who has since turned three, is still being treated for his injuries on an out-patient basis.