Police blotter – May 2020

Following are excerpts of activities reported by the Jefferson police department:

Sunday, May 31: Routine activity reported.

Saturday, May 30: At 8:51 am a Texas state trooper spoke with an officer about a vehicle registration that was issued in Jefferson. The vehicle was now in Texas and the plate did not match the vehicle it was on. The officer provided the trooper with information the officer located in our records. At 5:17 pm officers were requested at a residence in the 100 block of E. Washington St for a domestic situation between an estranged couple. The officer is investigating.

Friday, May 29: At 4:21 pm officers provided traffic control at Highways 30 and 4 after a vehicle lost its front tire at the intersection. The vehicle was eventually removed from the intersection by a tow truck. At 8:14 pm Jefferson officers assisted sheriff’s deputies with a possible stabbing in Scranton.

Thursday, May 28: At 11:44 am a complainant reported the theft of her purse from her vehicle. The theft occurred at an unknown location. The purse contained cash and bank cards, which she had already cancelled. The value of the purse was $300. At 7:07 pm a complainant spoke to an officer about her social media count being hacked. The officer is investigating.

Wednesday, May 27: At 3:17 pm a complainant reported damage to a window at her residence in the 100 block of E. Clark St. There were several holes in the glass, possibly from a BB gun. The officer is investigating the incident.

Tuesday, May 26: Routine activity reported.

Monday, May 25: Routine activity reported.

Sunday, May 24: At 12:33 pm staff at Peoples Bank reported a bike hanging in a tree on the property. The officer placed the bike in impound.

Saturday, May 23: At 3:35 pm staff at the Peony reported someone had stepped into freshly poured concrete there. The unknown subject had removed a heavy metal weight used to hold the door open. The damage estimate to replace the concrete is $500. The officer is working to review any camera footage available from the event.

Friday, May 22: At 10:37 am officers removed two snakes from a residence in the 900 block of N. Wilson Ave. At 3:40 pm a complainant reported a male came to her residence and inquired about buying some junk cars on the property. She later discovered the male had taken two catalytic convertors off of the vehicles while claiming to check for rust underneath them on the frames. The officer later located the reported subject’s van and spoke to him. He denied taking the convertors when asked by the officer. The investigation continues. At 3:58 pm a caller reported a German shepherd had jumped over its fence and bitten her 4-year-old son. The officer arrived and met with the animal’s owner and the caller. The subjects were walking past a residence in the 300 block of N. Pinet St on the sidewalk when the animal jumped the fence and attacked the youngster. According to city animal ordinances, the animal was placed in a 10-day quarantine at the Jefferson Vet Clinic. The animal will have to leave the city after the quarantine as ordinances deem the animal “Illegal” after the bite. Junior Lopez of Jefferson was also cited for animal at large prohibited. At 11:47 pm the sheriff’s office requested assistance from a Jefferson officer with a large underage drinking party in Rippey. The sheriff’s office arrested several underage drinkers and transferred them to the LEC.

Thursday, May 21: At 11:23 am a complainant reported a debit card scam that occurred at Hy-Vee. An officer is investigating. ***** On 5/17 an officer began an investigation of an assault that occurred in the 900 block of W. Lincoln Way. As a result, arrest warrants have been requested for Tanisha Rice, 45, of Jefferson for assault with intent to inflict serious injury (aggravated misdemeanor), and Jason Sheldahl, 49, of Jefferson for violation of a no contact order (simple misdemeanor)*.

Wednesday, May 20: Routine activity reported.

Tuesday, May 19: Routine activity reported.

Monday, May 18: At 11:27 am the public works director reported damage to the newly planted grass area at the city brush dump site at Daubendiek Park. A vehicle had spun donuts in the area, tearing up the new grass seed. At 1:01 pm a parent from Newton called and reported her 15-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted while staying in Jefferson April 25-May 1. A suspect name was provided to the officer. The investigation has begun. At 9:10 pm a complainant reported an identity theft. Someone had purchased goods in her name and the package was sent to a Michigan address. She had received billing for the items. The officer is investigating.

Sunday, May 17: At 10:44 am an officer responded to a one-vehicle property damage accident at the Hy-Vee parking lot. Bill Ocker of Yale was turning into the west entrance to the lot when he turned too sharply and struck a large landscaping rock. His 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 suffered a reported $1,000 in damages. The rock was not damaged. At 5:07 pm a complainant reported she had been assaulted by a known female at a residence in the 900 block of W. Lincoln Way. She advised the known female was at the residence when an argument started. The complainant reported the female knocked her down and choked her before leaving on foot. The officer is investigating.

Saturday, May 16: Routine activity reported.

Friday, May 15: At 9:94 am staff at A & W Family Restaurant reported an attempted burglary at the business. Unknown subjects had gained access to the roof and attempted to gain entry to the business through an air exchange unit, causing damage to the unit. The business is checking recent video surveillance recordings and the officer is investigating. At 8:28 pm a complainant reported a small grass fire on Westwood Drive near the west city limits. The Jefferson fire department responded and put out the small grass fire. At 10:31 pm a caller advised of a male attempting to enter vehicles in the 200 block of N. Oak St. The reported subject was not located. At 11:28 pm Nathan Anderson reported a driver had struck his legally parked 2003 Honda Pilot in the 100 block of W. Clark St and then left the scene. The officer later spoke to the driver of the other vehicle involved. Karlan Langfitt advised he had struck the Anderson vehicle in his 2004 Ford F150 and left the area. Each vehicle had a reported $3,000 in damages. Langfitt was cited for not reporting an accident.

Thursday, May 14: At 2:27 am an officer performed a traffic stop in the 1500 block of N. Elm St with a vehicle with a headlight out. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Christopher David Spaulding, 53, of Jefferson for operating while intoxicatedsecond offense (aggravated misdemeanor)*. At 12:04 pm a complainant reported a fight in progress at a residence in the 300 block of W. Lincoln Way. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Austin Tylor O’Connell, 21, of Jefferson for domestic abuse assault (serious misdemeanor) and disorderly conduct/fighting (simple misdemeanor)*.  At 4:55 pm a complainant reported her 2016 Chevrolet Equinox had been struck while parked in the 800 block of W. Washington St. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $1,500. The officer is investigation. At 6:36 pm a complainant reported a group of youngsters in the shelter house at Russell park. The officer explained the governor’s proclamation closing the shelter house due to COVID-19. The youngsters apologized and went on their way. *****Arrest warrants have been requested for Justin Joe Downs, 34, of Churdan for domestic abuse assaultfirst offense (simple misdemeanor), criminal mischiefthird degree (aggravated misdemeanor), and theftfourth degree and assault causing bodily injury (both serious misdemeanors)*. The charges are from an investigation of an incident on 5/09 in the 300 block of N. Chestnut St.

Wednesday, May 13: At 5:15 pm a Greene County jailer advised an officer that a neighbor to the LEC was driving a snowmobile around his yard. The officer had prior knowledge that the subject had a barred Iowa driver’s License and had been given a verbal warned recently by the sheriff about this being a violation. A short time later the officer was advised the subject was again riding the snowmobile on his property. The officer arrested Steven Logan Dzuris, 32, of Jefferson for driving while barred (aggravated misdemeanor*).

Tuesday, May 12: Routine activity reported.

Monday, May 11: Routine activity reported.

Sunday, May 10: At 9:36 am a complainant reported the theft of prescription medications from a residence in the 600 block of W. Monroe St. The officer is investigating. At 1:36 pm a traffic stop at Highways 30 and 4 resulted in the arrest of Teresa Ann Turner, 40, of Bayard for OWI- first offense and possession of methamphetamine (serious misdemeanors), and possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor)*. She was also cited for failure to provide proof of financial liability and failure to obey a stop sign.Saturday, May 9: At 4:42 pm a traffic stop on County Road E-53 near Kirkland Ave west of Jefferson resulted in the arrest of Nickalos Andrew Brown, 24, of Jefferson being arrested for operating while intoxicated – second offense (aggravated misdemeanor)*. Suspected marijuana was located after the officers noticed the pungent smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A small amount of suspected marijuana was seized for testing. Future charges are pending. At 5:19 pm a public works employee advised of a powerline on a tree near Pinet St and W. Lincoln Way. The worker stood by while Alliant Energy responded to fix the issue. At 5:32 pm a complainant requested officers at a residence in the 300 block of N. Chestnut St for an assault. Officers arrived and spoke to the complainant and two other witnesses. They learned a male had entered the residence and assaulted the complainant and a male before taking property and leaving. The officer is investigating the event. At 9:11 pm a Landus Cooperative employee requested assistance at the coop after “Movie Night” was over. The officers provided traffic control in the area and gave a female juvenile a ride to her residence, as she had walked to the event.

Friday, May 8: At 8:32 pm a complainant reported a stray dog at in the 400 block of S. Wilson Ave. The officer placed the animal in the animal holding facility. At 11:26 pm a traffic stop at Highway 30 and Oakland Ave east of Jefferson resulted in the arrest of Pablo Luis Correa Flores, 29, of Carroll for driving while license barred (aggravated misdemeanor)*. He was cited for excessive speed.

Thursday, May 7: Routine activity reported.

Wednesday, May 6: At 8:10 pm a resident reporting catching a stray dog dragging a cable in the 500 block of W. State St. The officer placed the animal in the animal holding facility. At 8:14 pm a complainant reported a dog left the yard at 304 S. Chestnut St and attacked his dog as he walked past the residence. The officer spoke to the animal’s owner and learned the invisible fencing batteries had gone dead and the system failed. The owner was directed to keep the animal inside until the fencing issue was fixed.

Tuesday, May 5: At 11:57 pm a caller requested a welfare check on a female who had been assaulted by her boyfriend. There is an active no contact order between the two. The officer was provided video of the assault occurring between the male and female. Charges are pending in the matter.

Monday, May 4: At 2:47 pm staff at Bett & Bev’s reported a homeless male staying under the overpass on N. Elm St. The officer reached out to the Greene County Homeless Coalition and that group provided the male a room for the night at a local hotel. ***** Officers issued four parking violation notices for street sweeping violations around the downtown square. ***** Kevin Steadman, 28, of Jefferson has been charged with trespass- simple*. An arrest warrant was requested after Steadman entered city hall on 4/27 to speak to a female after being told not to be present without city business to conduct.

Sunday, May 3: At 2:10 am an anonymous male reported a Jefferson resident operating a motor vehicle in Jefferson city limits with a barred driver’s license. An officer spoke with the driver at his residence and explained to him his driver’s license status and advised him he could not operate a motor vehicle until the issue was resolved with the D.O.T. At 12:11 pm an officer assisted a Greene County deputy with a traffic stop of the same driver near the intersection of Highway 30 and K Ave west of Jefferson. The suspect, Steven Dzuris, fled the scene in his vehicle, driving east on Highway 30. He turned south on Kirkwood Ave and then westbound on County Road E-53 (old Lincoln Highway), reaching speeds up to 100 mph. Dzuris turned northbound on Highway 25 into Scranton, and then headed west on Highway 30, where an Iowa State Patrol trooper and another JPD officer joined the pursuit. The pursuit continued into Carroll County. A Carroll County deputy and Carroll PD officers deployed spike strips which struck the driver’s side tires. The pursuit continued westbound where a “rolling roadblock” was initiated and stopped the vehicle just east of Carroll on Highway 30. Dzuris was subsequently placed under arrest. A JPD officer sustained lacerations to his arm due to broken glass during the incident. The Greene County sheriff’s office is handling the criminal charges. At 6:54 pm an officer responded to a hit-and-run accident in the 300 block of N. Pinet St. Dalton Weber of Jefferson backed his 2001 Pontiac Grand Am from a private driveway, striking the left front corner of a legally parked 2007 Hyundai Accent that was parked on the street. The Hyundai is owned by Michael Jacquard. Weber was cited for driving while license suspended. Damage to Jacquard’s vehicle was estimated at $500.

Saturday, May 2: At 4:18 pm a complainant reported a fraud issue as she was attempting to purchase a camper off the Craigslist website. The total loss during the fraudulent transaction was $1,600. An officer is investigating the issue. At 8:04 pm an officer located several juveniles playing basketball at the Webb House, violating the governor’s public health disaster proclamation. The officer educated the juveniles on the issue and they dispersed without incident.

Friday, May 1: At 5:28 pm a complainant reported a dog running loose at a residence in the 200 block of S. Walnut St. An officer transported the dog to the animal holding facility.

*All charges are merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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