By Chris Post / Editor-in-Chief

A Sedalia woman charged in connection with an August crash that critically injured a Missouri Valley University student has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the incident.

Kelsey Nicole Chalfant, 27, entered an open guilty plea Monday, Nov. 9, in Saline County Circuit Court before Judge Joshua P. Taylor.

Chalfant had been charged with second-degree assault, driving while intoxicated resulting in serious physical injury and careless and imprudent driving involving an accident following an Aug. 10 collision that injured MVU soccer player Julian Marøy.

According to Missouri Case.net records, Chalfant withdrew her previous plea of not guilty and entered a guilty plea as charged. Taylor accepted the plea, finding that it had been entered voluntarily and competently.

An open plea means Chalfant pleaded guilty without a negotiated sentencing agreement. Her punishment will be determined by the court.

Taylor scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2027, at 2 p.m. in Division IV of the Saline County Courthouse.

The court also ordered the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole to conduct a sentencing assessment and submit a written report before the hearing.

The charges stem from an Aug. 10 crash near the intersection of Morrow Street and Conway Avenue in Marshall.

Marøy was crossing Morrow Street in a marked crosswalk when he was struck by a vehicle allegedly driven by Chalfant. He suffered critical injuries and was transported by helicopter to a Columbia hospital.

According to court documents previously reviewed by The Missouri Valley Delta, investigators suspected Chalfant was impaired at the time of the crash and obtained a warrant for a blood sample.

Chalfant had remained in custody as the case moved through the court system.

During a Sept. 16 hearing, a judge denied her request for temporary release to attend a residential substance abuse treatment program in Columbia.

In denying the request, the court cited concerns about public safety and the evidence presented by prosecutors, including allegations that Chalfant had continued driving while intoxicated despite previous incidents.

Prosecutors also referenced three previous crashes involving injuries. Court records showed Chalfant had been convicted of felony drug possession and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated in Pettis County in 2019.

Chalfant subsequently waived her preliminary hearing Sept. 23, allowing the case to proceed to circuit court without a preliminary determination of probable cause.

At Monday’s plea hearing, Chalfant appeared by video from custody and was represented by attorney Daniel Baker.