March 28, 2024

Police Blotter

Newton Police Department

• Jerry L. Binegar, 41, of Newton was charged with driving while license suspended after authorities stopped his vehicle at 4:10 a.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of South Eighth Avenue East for having an inoperable brake light. Police determined his license was suspended, and he was released to appear in court.

• Brian R. Hammer, 33, of Newton was charged with driving while license suspended after authorities stopped his vehicle at 7:45 a.m. Monday in the 500 block of East 17th Street South after recognizing him as driving with a suspended license. He was cited and released to appear in court.

• Kuldeep Kaur, 43, of Newton was cited with failure to yield after authorities responded to a two-vehicle accident at 3:37 p.m. Monday. Kaur was cited for pulling out of a driveway at 709 W. 11th St. S. and striking a northbound vehicle driven by Fred E. Bebout Jr., 50, of Newton. Each vehicle sustained an estimated $700 damage.

• Cody W. Minenga, 32, of Newton was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after authorities responded to a report of a fight in progress at 5:33 p.m. Friday in the 600 block of East Sixth Street South. Police located a sweatshirt on the ground with a syringe in the pocket. Minenga identified the shirt as his. Police then located a plastic cigarette package containing a chunky white substance inside a hat lying on the ground. Minenga said the hat did not belong to him. Dash cam video showed the hat fell out of the sweatshirt when the officer picked up the shirt. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine, and Minenga was charged and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Joseph K. Reusswig, 36, of Newton, was arrested on a warrant for violation of his probation after authorities were dispatched to the adult probation office at 2:33 p.m. Tuesday for an individual wanted on a warrant. Reusswig was transported to the Jasper County Jail.

• James C. Ryther, 42, of Newton was charged with domestic assault, a Class C felony, and Elisha E. Woody, 28, of Newton was charged with serious domestic assault after authorities responded to a domestic altercation at 2:21 a.m. Friday at 815 First St. N. in Newton. Woody was charged for allegedly assaulting Ryther, his step-father, who he stated was assaulting his mother. Ryther was charged for allegedly assaulting Woody, who Ryther stated came home intoxicated and attempted to strike him with a pipe. Both were transported to the Jasper County Jail.

• Melody S. Ryther, 51, of Newton was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after authorities responded at 4:56 p.m. Monday to a house check at 339 S. Seventh Ave. W. requested by the homeowner. Police observed Ryther was very talkative and had a hard time standing still. She consented to a search of her purse, and authorities found a green leafy substance, a blue glass pipe with a marijuana leaf on it, a clear plastic baggie with white residue inside the bag and a glass pipe used to smoke methamphetamine. The green substance tested positive for marijuana. She was charged and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Dylan D. Thompson, 21, of Ira was charged with fifth-degree theft after authorities responded to a complaint of two individuals shoplifting at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Walmart. Store employees said the two individuals concealed merchandise and left the store without paying for the items. One of the subjects was identified as Thompson. He was charged for allegedly helping a female steal a bottle of oil valued at $19.23 and released to appear in court.

• Martin R. Waddle, 46, of Kellogg was charged with driving while license barred after authorities stopped him at 6:48 p.m. Saturday in the 800 block of North 23rd Avenue West for not having lights on a trailer his vehicle was pulling. Authorities determined his license had been suspended and also cited him with failure to have SR insurance and gave him a warning for registration violation and tail lights.

• Christian P. Wolfe, 20, of Newton was charged with theft/possession of stolen property after county authorities conducted a search of a blue 1999 Chevy Tahoe and found a storm sewer grate, a manhole casting and manhole lid owned by the City Of Newton. The vehicle had been searched by Jasper County Sheriff’s Office authorities on Oct. 22 in connection with a copper wire theft when the city’s items also were found in the vehicle, located at 627 W. Second St. S. in Newton. The total value of the city’s items was $470. Wolfe was charged Friday at the police department and released to appear in court.

• Megan A. Young, 30, of Newton was charged with trespass and fifth degree theft and Nathan L. McCumber, 26, of Newton was charged with fifth-degree theft after authorities responded to a theft complaint at 11:50 a.m. Saturday at Walmart. Young was charged with concealing $40.03 worth of merchandise in her purse and attempting to leave the store. She also was charged for being on Walmart property after being served a trespass order April 13 that prevents her from being on Walmart property. McCumber was charged for allegedly concealing $38.77 worth of merchandise in his coat and attempting to the leave the store. Young was taken to the Jasper County Jail, and McCumber was released to appear in court.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. It is the policy of the Newton Daily News to release the names of individuals charged with a crime who are 16 and older.