Mason City 18-year-old pleads not guilty to vehicular homicide in bicyclist’s death

MASON CITY — An 18-year-old Mason City woman has pleaded not guilty to a vehicular homicide charge.

Jade Quam was charged after striking a bicyclist, 42-year-old Jennifer Buls-Vrba of Mason City, in the 1500 block of Plymouth Road in Mason City on the evening of July 24th of last year. Buls-Vrba was taken to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead.

Quam was 17 at the time of the accident and was initially charged in juvenile court, but the case was waived to district court in April. She is accused of using a handheld electronic communication device when the accident occurred.

Quam has been charged with vehicular homicide by reckless driving, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Quam’s arraignment hearing was scheduled for this coming Monday, but she filed a written plea of not guilty on Thursday in Cerro Gordo County District Court. A trial date was not immediately set.