An Overland Park man who skipped out on a hearing in Johnson County District Court for a fatal drunk-driving crash is now in custody in Texas after more than a year on the run.
On Aug. 21, Isaiah Sadowski, 23, was placed into custody in the Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, as an out-of-state fugitive, according to Harris County court records, after reportedly being apprehended in Mexico.
Sadowski had been on the run since March 20, 2024, when a warrant was issued for his arrest after he missed a court appearance in Johnson County related to a second-degree murder charge.
The charge was filed against Sadowski in February 2022 after he allegedly caused a crash while driving drunk and speeding in Overland Park, resulting in the death of Barbara Patterson, 75.
Sadowski was arrested on Aug. 20 in a joint operation involving the U.S. Marshal’s Service and Mexican officials in Colima, Mexico, according to the Kansas City Star, which spoke to an unnamed relative of Patterson’s.
On Aug. 21, Sadowski filed a refusal of waiver of extradition in Harris County District Court, meaning he refuses to voluntarily be extradited to Johnson County and prefers a formal extradition hearing before being transferred.
Sadowski appeared on YouTube interview will on the run
Months after not showing up for his hearing in Johnson County, Sadowski was interviewed in June 2024 via a video messaging service on a YouTube channel called “Second_chancer,” hosted by author and motivational speaker Jesse Crosson.
The “Second_chancer” channel features Crosson’s testimonials about his own experiences in prison, as well as interviews with other people who have been incarcerated or have faced criminal charges.
During his interview with Crosson, Sadowski confirmed he was on the run in a different country and was doing so because he felt he wasn’t given a fair trial or good legal representation.
“I’ve had three defense attorneys that have given up on me, and I just recently spoke with another defense attorney who said, ‘Listen, I don’t think that you’d be found guilty of that crime if it’s presented at all in a trial situation.’ So I’m here to figure out what my next steps are and avoid 20 years of prison and try and save my life,” he said during the interview.
When contacted by the Post for this story, both the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Johnson County District Attorney’s Office said they had no comment.
Sadowski accused of causing fatal drunk driving crash
Court records say that at about 8:30 p.m., on Dec. 27, 2021, Sadowski was going more than 130 mph when he ran a red light and slammed into a vehicle driven by Patterson at the intersection of 127th Street and Quivira Road.
As police officers pulled Sadowski from his car, they smelled alcohol on his breath and noticed an empty individual bottle of Rumple Minze peppermint liqueur and an open bottle of whiskey in his vehicle, court records said.
Sadowski had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13 when he was driving, according to court records. In Kansas, the legal limit is .08 for adults and .02 for anyone underage. Sadowski was 20 at the time.
In Feb. 2022, Sadowski was released on $150,000 bond and made all of his court appearances up until his disappearance in March 2024. Prior to skipping out on the hearing, he had a four-day jury trial scheduled for late March 2024.
During his YouTube interview, Sadowski said his court case came down to poor representation, including, most recently, an expensive, acclaimed lawyer who changed his mind on the case.
“When I first retained him, he said, ‘Listen, here’s the game plan. I’ve seen the case file.’ He met my parents, told my parents the game plan, and it sounded really, really good. And then two months later, he just completely gave up on me,” he said.
“At that point, I was (paying) $300,000 (in attorney fees). We’re two weeks away from trial, this defense attorney is telling me, ‘Hey, let’s just walk in there tomorrow and plead guilty and hope for the best.’ And … I don’t see how that helps anybody.”
Sadowski agreed to a $1.5 million settlement
In June 2022, Michael Pence, Patterson’s son, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Sadowski in Jackson County District Court in Missouri.
A month later, Sadowski and Pence reached a $1.5 million settlement, which was paid through an insurance policy held by Sadowski, according to the Star.
With the agreement, Sadowski denied any wrongdoing or that he contributed “in any way to the injuries or death.”
Through Pence’s attorney, he said he had no comment on Sadowski’s arrest or the lawsuit.
During the interview posted to YouTube, Sadowski admitted to being involved in the crash and.
He said his girlfriend had broken up with him and he had been drinking.
“I was 20 years old at the time, and so as a 20 year old, you’re cheated on by a girl that you’re engaged to, and it’s the end of the world, right? The world’s crashing down on you. This is the end of it all, right?'” he said. “And so that night, I went, I drank, and … I’m an open book. I’ll just be completely honest, and (say) I was involved in a car accident, and I was subsequently charged with murder.”
Patterson remembered fondly by family, friends
Following Patterson’s death, friends and family mourned the 75-year-old, a long-time employee of Shawnee Mission Medical Center and fan of the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, according to her obituary.
“Barb was always so happy and so full of life. So thankful I got to know her when we went to high school together,” a person wrote on her obituary page.
Patterson preferred driving on city streets instead of highways becuse the speeds made her uncomfortable, her son, Michael Pence, told KCTV5 in a previous interview.
“The world needs to slow down,” Pence said at the time.
In the comments of the Sadowski video, a commenter celebrated Patterson’s birthday. while expressing anger at Sadowski.
“(Barbara), today would have been your 78th birthday and all who loved you were robbed of your continued friendship, humor, love and we miss you,” the person wrote.
“The accused, who chose today drink into the evening then get into his car excessively speeding and (hit) your vehicle, exhibits no remorse. I am outraged he has vanished (from) our country (because) he feels he deserves a lesser charge for a first time offense,” they added.
What’s next
A hearing is scheduled Sadowski at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 in Harris County District Court.
