Thursday marks the third anniversary of the tragic partial collapse of an apartment building in downtown Davenport, Iowa. On May 28, 2023, the west wall of 324 Main St. collapsed, resulting in the deaths of three men: Ryan Hitchcock, Branden Colvin, and Daniel Prien. The incident also led to a woman losing her leg and displaced dozens of residents who lost irreplaceable belongings.

Legal Proceedings and Community Impact

Despite the severity of the incident, Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham decided not to file criminal charges. The decision followed a review of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation’s report, which did not provide sufficient evidence for arrests. This report, completed in Spring 2024, remains confidential under Iowa Code despite multiple requests for its release.

On the civil front, a class action lawsuit involving around 90 plaintiffs, including former residents and family members of the deceased, is ongoing. The defendants include former building owner Andrew Wold, his LLCs, the City of Davenport, and various engineering and masonry firms. The lawsuit alleges negligence and failure to address known safety issues.

Court Rulings and Future Trials

The City of Davenport, along with two city officials, former chief building official Trishna Pradhan and current director of development and neighborhood services Richard Oswald, sought dismissal of the charges citing qualified immunity. However, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision that they could be sued, rejecting the immunity claim. The city argues the building was privately owned and maintained, while tenants claim the city failed to act on known deteriorating conditions.

The case is currently in the discovery phase, with a trial tentatively set for August 2027. This ongoing legal battle continues to impact the community as it seeks accountability and justice for the tragic events of three years ago.

Original reporting: WQAD (Quad Cities) — read the source article.