March 28, 2024

Police Blotter

Newton Police Department

• Dustin R. Bestell, 20, of Newton was arrested at 11:20 p.m. July 3 at 901 S. 13th Ave. E. #6 on a warrant for probation violation on an original charge of operating while intoxicated. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Jerry L. Binegar, 41, of Newton was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after authorities responded at 1:52 a.m. July 2 to a report of a camp site that was not supposed to be on the property at 2216 S. 12th Ave. W. Binegar was charged for allegedly having a glass pipe, Q-tips and an empty plastic baggie. He was taken to jail.

• Anthony R. Bleeker, 25, of Hartley was cited with following too close after traveling west on Interstate 80 at 4:28 p.m. June 23 near the 164 mile marker and striking the rear of a vehicle driven by Matthew J. White, 25, of Fort Dodge. White had slowed for a vehicle ahead of him driven by John M. Barnes, 61, of Avon, Ind., after Barnes slowed for traffic. White’s vehicle was pushed into Barnes’ vehicle. Damage was estimated at $400 to Barnes’ vehicle, $2,400 to White’s vehicle and $250 to Bleeker’s vehicle.

• Christopher L. Cleveland, 31, of Algona was charged with fifth-degree theft and possession of a controlled substance after authorities responded to a shoplifting complaint at 2:16 p.m. July 2 at Walmart. Cleveland was charged for allegedly taking a DVD player and a T-shirt and leaving the store without paying and for allegedly having two alprazalam pills in his possession. Cleveland also was found to be wanted on two Kossuth County warrants, one for third-degree burglary and another for fourth-degree theft. He was taken to jail.

• Cameron B. Creech, 16, of Newton was cited with minor using tobacco after authorities responded to a report of a fight at 2:50 a.m. June 24 at 300 W. Fourth St. S.

• Joshua D. Fifer, 29, of Newton was charged with fifth-degree theft, interference with official acts, public intoxication and disorderly conduct after officers were dispatched at 10:43 p.m. Thursday to 400 N. Third Ave. E. on report of a shoplifter at Kum N Go. A witness followed Fifer out of Kum N Go, and when officers arrived on the scene, Fifer was challenging the witness to a fight. Fifer was taken to jail.

• Alex N. Jenkins, 18, of Newton was cited for following too close after officers responded to a two-vehicle accident at 10:19 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of East 19th Street South and First Avenue East. Jenkins was traveling east on First Avenue East when he struck the rear of a vehicle driven by Esmeralda S. Deleon, 39, of Newton, who was just ahead of Jenkins and slowing to make a left turn. Deleon’s vehicle sustained an estimated $200 damage, and Jenkins’ vehicle was not damaged.

• Amanda E. Palmer, 19, of Iowa City was cited with failure to maintain control after authorities responded to a single-vehicle accident at 11:29 a.m. June 26. Palmer was traveling west in the outside lane on Interstate 80 at the 164 mile maker when she passed in front of a semi-truck, lost control of her vehicle and drove into the guard wires positioned in the median. The driver was uninjured, but a passenger — Olivia C. Sliger, 18, of Iowa City — was transported to Skiff Medical Center by Newton paramedics to be treated for injuries. The vehicle sustained an estimated $6,000 damage.

• David M. Philo III, 29, of Newton was charged with assault, disorderly conduct and public intoxication after officers were dispatched at 11:11 p.m. Saturday to the Manhattan Bar on report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, Philo was found unconscious. A female patron said that Philo had assaulted her and officers observed red marks on her neck. A bartender said that she had served Philo two drinks and heard him say that he had just been kicked out of the Scoreboard. He was taken to jail.

• Kevin A. Roney, 22, of Newton was cited for unsafe backing after officers responded to a report of a car accident at 3:02 a.m. Saturday on East Eighth Street North. Roney was cited for backing into a legally parked vehicle, owned by Mary A. Hawkins of Mathews, La., while backing out of his driveway. A passenger in Roney’s vehicle was taken to Skiff Medical Center by ambulance to be treated for neck pain. Each vehicle sustained an estimated $700 damage.

• Justin M. Ruiz-Pittman, 16, of Newton was cited with failure to maintain control after authorities responded to a two-vehicle accident at 6:34 p.m. July 2. Ruiz-Pittman was traveling east on North 11th Avenue East and crossed over East Eighth Street North without slowing, colliding with a northbound vehicle driven by Jill N. Cook, 35, of Newton. Damage was estimated at $2,000 to Cook’s vehicle and $3,000 to Ruiz-Pittman’s vehicle.

• Samuel J. Weissenburger, 23, of Baxter was charged with public intoxication after officers were dispatched at 11:36 p.m. Saturday to 901 S. 13th Ave. E. on report of two males causing a scene in a parking lot. Upon arrival, Weissenburger yelled derogatory statements at officers and eventually complied to a blood alcohol content level test that showed Weissenburger’s BAC to be at .235. He was taken to jail.

• A 14-year-old Newton boy was charged with harassment of a public officer and possession of alcohol by a minor after officers were dispatched at 12:41 a.m. on Sunday to the 1700 block of North Second Avenue East when they saw a firework go off while on patrol. The juvenile gave the officers a fake name and told them he didn’t know his address or his mother’s cell phone number. The homeowners told officers the juvenile’s information.

• A 13-year-old Newton female and a 15-year-old Newton female each were charged with fifth-degree theft after authorities responded to a shoplifting complaint at 5:25 p.m. July 1 at Walmart. The teens were charged for allegedly concealing two bags of Jack Links beef jerky, valued at a total of $7.96, inside a purse. They were referred to juvenile court services.

Jasper County Sheriff’s Office

• David M. Hawkins, 25, of Colfax was charged with violating his probation, failure to appear in court and public intoxication after deputies were dispatched 3:55 p.m. Tuesday to the Jasper County Jail.

• Rodney C. Lewis, 30, of Colfax was charged with domestic assault after deputies were dispatched to 10:31 p.m. Monday at 10614 Fleet Ave. Colfax on report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival, officers saw that Lewis’s girlfriend had a swollen black eye. They also saw several bruises and scrapes in the victim. He was taken to jail.

• Devin D. Miller, 18, of Newton was charged with possessing alcohol as a minor after deputies were dispatched to 1:33 a.m. Sunday to 7812 N. 67th Ave. E. on report of a possible underage party. Upon arrival, officers witnessed Miller vomiting out of the window of his car. Miller admitted to officers that he had consumed a large amount of alcohol and when tested his blood alcohol content level was .232.

• Nicholas G A Plato, 24, of Grinnell was charged operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated after deputies were dispatched at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday to 15804 Highway 224 N. on report of a broken down vehicle. Plato walked to a home to call police and the homeowners noticed that Plato was intoxicated. After the homeowners notified police, Plato attempted to take their vehicle and drove their vehicle a short distance on her property and then walked back to his vehicle where he was found by police. He was taken to jail.

• Casey L. Sliger, 35, of Newton was charged with driving while license suspended, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without insurance and unlawful use of license after deputies were dispatched at 2:32 a.m. Monday on report of a stopped vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies noticed a glass smoking pipe in the vehicle and Sliger admitted it was a meth pipe. Sliger was taken to jail.