Just as moving as the funeral service was Wednesday for 25-year-old Olivia Rogowski, is the growing memorial along Capitol Avenue where she was killed in an apparent hit and run.
"I would like to see him labor to pay for this young child who he took his mother from," said Olivia's uncle Joe Rogowski following the service.
The young mother of an eight-year old was a passenger in a red Pontiac Gran Prix. Police say the man driving a black Cadillac Escalade blew through a stop sign and slammed into the victims. The driver, Irena Boone, was released from the hospital Wednesday; Olivia didn't survive.
"When the cops got here the guy in the green polo took off his shirt and he had a white shirt on underneath," says Jamie Scott who witness the events following the accident, "He walked into the crowd to blend in to make it look like he had nothing to do with it
Originally police believed the driver of the black SUV fled the scene; Scott knew that wasn't the case.
"When I recognized his face I told the cop I gave the description to that I needed to talk to him and I said that man right there, I saw him get out of the back side drivers seat, I watched him get out; and he said all right I'll take care of it," says Scott.
That man was 23-year-old Kristian Jamak. When police questioned him, he claimed he was just a passenger and was allowed to leave the scene. Three days later police learned the truth and took Jamak into custody.
"Evidently this individual had a long history of driving problems and spousal abuse," Rogowski says.
According to public records Kristian Jamak has as many as 29 traffic violations since 2002, including operating without a license, reckless driving and eluding police. His license was suspended in 2006 but was reinstated in January of this year.
'"He was absolutely okay to get a license when he received it in January of 2009," says Kim Snook with the Iowa D.O.T.
Snook says despite a lengthy record Jamak satisfied conditions under Iowa code to get his license back.
"We base everything on convictions we receive from the court, take appropriate actions as far as suspensions, revocations, habitual violatorsĀ things like that. We would put them into that kind of a category to make them do what is appropriate to (get) their license and all those things were done by him," says Snook.
Despite the D.O.T.'s approval, Olivia's uncle believes Jamak should not have had a license. Given his past driving record, he admits it likely would not have mattered.
"If someone's going to break the law, they're going to break the law," Rogowski says.
"I would like to see him labor to pay for this young child who he took his mother from," said Olivia's uncle Joe Rogowski following the service.
The young mother of an eight-year old was a passenger in a red Pontiac Gran Prix. Police say the man driving a black Cadillac Escalade blew through a stop sign and slammed into the victims. The driver, Irena Boone, was released from the hospital Wednesday; Olivia didn't survive.
"When the cops got here the guy in the green polo took off his shirt and he had a white shirt on underneath," says Jamie Scott who witness the events following the accident, "He walked into the crowd to blend in to make it look like he had nothing to do with it
Originally police believed the driver of the black SUV fled the scene; Scott knew that wasn't the case.
"When I recognized his face I told the cop I gave the description to that I needed to talk to him and I said that man right there, I saw him get out of the back side drivers seat, I watched him get out; and he said all right I'll take care of it," says Scott.
That man was 23-year-old Kristian Jamak. When police questioned him, he claimed he was just a passenger and was allowed to leave the scene. Three days later police learned the truth and took Jamak into custody.
"Evidently this individual had a long history of driving problems and spousal abuse," Rogowski says.
According to public records Kristian Jamak has as many as 29 traffic violations since 2002, including operating without a license, reckless driving and eluding police. His license was suspended in 2006 but was reinstated in January of this year.
'"He was absolutely okay to get a license when he received it in January of 2009," says Kim Snook with the Iowa D.O.T.
Snook says despite a lengthy record Jamak satisfied conditions under Iowa code to get his license back.
"We base everything on convictions we receive from the court, take appropriate actions as far as suspensions, revocations, habitual violatorsĀ things like that. We would put them into that kind of a category to make them do what is appropriate to (get) their license and all those things were done by him," says Snook.
Despite the D.O.T.'s approval, Olivia's uncle believes Jamak should not have had a license. Given his past driving record, he admits it likely would not have mattered.
"If someone's going to break the law, they're going to break the law," Rogowski says.
