Following are excerpts of activities reported by the Jefferson police department:
Tuesday, Dec. 31: At 12:41 pm an off-duty officer noticed a couple together in a vehicle at the Hy-Vee parking lot. The officer had knowledge the couple have an active order of protection prohibiting them from being together. Officers responded and spoke to the couple, who denied arriving at the business together. The officer gathered video from the business showing the female get out of the male’s vehicle and enter the business. The male parks and then enters the business.
The officer has applied for arrest warrants for Jason William Sheldahl, 48, of Jefferson and Tanisha Kathleen Rice, 44, of Jefferson for violation of protective order and false information to officer (simple misdemeanors)*. At 1:49 pm officers and a deputy arrested Daniel Joseph Tasler, 28, of Jefferson on JPD arrest warrants for child endangerment- serious injury (class C felony) and obstruction of emergency communication (simple misdemeanor)*. The charges stem from a report taken by an officer in the Greene County Medical Center emergency room 12/29 concerning the assault of a Jefferson child.
Monday, Dec. 30: Routine activity reported.
Sunday, Dec. 29: At 2:04 pm an officer assisted with a two-vehicle property damage accident in the employee parking lot at Greene County Medical Center. A 2012 Nissan Rogue owned by Tammy Wasson of Jefferson was parked. Stacey Biggart of Jefferson turned her 2012 Mazda CX9 too closely and struck the back passenger side corner of Wasson’s vehicle. Damage to each vehicle was estimated at $1,500. No citation was issued as the accident occurred outside of the roadway on private property. At 8:43 pm staff at the Greene County Medical Center emergency department requested an officer for a 4-year-old Jefferson child who had been brought in and was possibly assaulted by a parent. The child had injuries consistent with what the mother and other children present advised had occurred. The officer continues to investigate the matter. At 9:40 pm a resident spoke with an officer about a new federal law prohibiting retailers from selling tobacco/vaping products to persons under age 21. The officer advised that Iowa law has not changed. Persons can possess and use the items at age 18, but federal law prohibits persons from purchasing them.
Saturday, Dec. 28: At 1:17 am an officer observed a driver fail to stop at a posted stop sign at N. Maple and W. McKinley Sts. The officer turned around and caught up to the driver to perform a traffic stop at 230 St and Linwood Ave. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Kenneth Eugene Rosenow, 60, of Farlin for operating while intoxicated (serious misdemeanor)*. He was also cited for failure to obey stop sign. At 10:17 pm an officer performed a traffic stop with a driver at Highway 30 and N. Elm St because the vehicle had a headlight out. During the stop, the officer determined the subject did not have a valid driver’s license in Iowa and issued a citation. The officer later learned the subject had given her a false name and date of birth. The officer has requested an arrest warrant for Alexander Ruben Basurto, 26, of Paton for false information given for citation (simple misdemeanor)*.
Friday, Dec. 27: At 5:44 pm an officer assisted the sheriff’s office with a vehicle accident at Highway 30 and Orchard Ave east of Jefferson. At 11:06 pm an officer located three male juveniles at Russell Park. The juveniles were advised to leave the area as the park was closed.
Thursday, Dec. 26: At 12:10 pm a complainant reported her adult son had been shot by a male with a BB gun at a residence in the 900 block of N. Cedar St. The officer advised the complainant that her adult son would have to bring the complaint to the officer. At 2:58 pm a complainant reported a cat had been struck by a vehicle in the 100 block of E. Vest St. The officer took the deceased cat to the Jefferson Vet Clinic for disposal. At 6:48 pm Aaron Schroeder reported he had struck a deer near Westwood Drive and W. Lincoln Way. Damage to his 2017 Chevrolet Suburban was estimated at $1,500. The injured deer was dispatched by the officer.
Wednesday, Dec. 25: At 6:02 am an officer removed an opossum from inside the residence in the 700 block of Lincoln Way. The officer released the animal outside of the city. ***** An officer has requested arrest warrants for Angeline Marie Graham, 58, of Jefferson after receiving lab results on items seized during a traffic stop on 11/29. The requested warrants are for possession of controlled substance- second offense (serious misdemeanor) and possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor)*. ***** An officer completed an investigation that began 7/16 of a violation of a no contact order. The officer has requested an arrest warrant for Tyler James Smits, 27, of Jefferson for violation of a protective order (simple misdemeanor)*. *****An officer received lab results from tested items seized during a traffic stop on 12/08. The officer has requested arrest warrants for Marcia Kay Lowe, 56, of Yale for possession of controlled substance- third or subsequent offense (Class D felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia*.
Tuesday, Dec. 24: At 1:01 pm a complainant reported a male had taken his Yamaha Sling Shot without his permission and had wrecked the vehicle in Dallas County. The officer verified the vehicle had been wrecked by Dallas County officials and is investigating the event.
Monday, Dec. 23: At 8:36 am the Webster County sheriff’s office advised of a careless driver on Highway 4, heading south towards Jefferson. The vehicle reached Jefferson and the officer followed it. The officer witnessed the vehicle cross over the center line on two occasions and performed a traffic stop with the driver. The officer believed the driver was texting and driving and issued a verbal warning to the driver. At 8:11 pm staff at Dairy Queen reported a caller advised of an order that was supposedly messed up by the restaurant. The caller advised they were coming back to the business to clear up the issue with the order. Dairy Queen had not filled such an order and felt it was a scam. The officer advised them to call if the subject showed up.
Sunday, Dec. 22: Routine activity reported.
Saturday, Dec. 21: Numerous recent reports have been called in concerning the Publisher’s Clearing House Scam. The scammers are utilizing mail and phone calls to advise you of winnings. They ask for a sum of money to claim the prize. The legitimate Publishers Clearing House will not request money to claim a prize. At 8:50 pm a complainant reported criminal mischief to a retaining wall at a residence in the 500 block of S. Chestnut St. The damage had occurred overnight. The officer is investigating.
Friday, Dec. 20: At 5:13 pm an officer covered a car-deer accident in the 1300 block of W. Lincoln Way. Carrie Jo Peters of Jefferson was westbound driving her 2018 Honda Pilot when she struck a deer. The injured deer fled from the area. The officer estimated damages to the front of the Peters’ vehicle at $1,000. At 10:56 pm an officer performed a traffic stop at Casey’ General Store with a driver who had crossed the centerline while navigating a turn onto N. Elm St from W. Washington St. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Dennis Ray Hagen, 60, of Jefferson for operating while intoxicated- second offense (aggravated misdemeanor)*. He was also cited for a turning at intersection violation. At 11:11 pm an officer performed a traffic stop at N. Elm and W. Clark Sts with a speeding driver. During the stop, the officer noticed the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, the officer located numerous narcotic-related items, prescription medications, and suspected marijuana and wax marijuana. The items were seized for lab testing with charges pending results. Christopher David Spaulding of Jefferson was issued a citation for excessive speed.
Thursday, Dec. 19: At 7:57 am an officer investigated a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 700 block of S. Chestnut St. Gabriel Schuttler of Jefferson was southbound with his vision obscured by frost on the windows of his vehicle. He struck a parked 1988 Plymouth Grand Fury, owned by Jacob Thomas of Jefferson. Schuttler was cited for failure to maintain control. Damage to his vehicle was estimated at $2,000. Damage to Thomas’ vehicle was estimated at $1,500. At 8:09 am an officer investigated an accident in the high school parking lot. Austin Owens of Jefferson was driving a 2000 Ford Mustang owned by Daniel Owens, also of Jefferson, when he struck a parked 1988 Chevrolet C1500 pickup truck owned by Amanda Burbank of Jefferson. Damage to the Burbank vehicle was estimated at $1,000. Damage to the Owens vehicle was estimated at $1,500. No citation was issued as the accident occurred outside of the roadway on private property. At 6:18 pm a complainant reported she had found her juvenile son with a vaping device. She provided the officer with the name of a 19-year-old Jefferson male she believed had purchased the device for her son. The business is providing the officer with footage of the sale of the device and the investigation continues. At 7:10 pm a resident advised she had caught a stray kitten in the 500 block of S. Elm St. The officer placed the kitten in the animal holding facility. At 7:44 pm an officer followed a vehicle with dark windows into the parking lot at Hy-Vee. The officer approached the vehicle to speak to the driver before he entered the business. During the interaction the officer smelled alcohol emitting from the driver. He saw other signs of impairment and requested the driver to perform standardized field sobriety tests. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Damon David Joseph Zimpel, 29, of Minnesota for operating while intoxicated (serious misdemeanor)*. At 9:11 pm an officer attempted to perform a traffic stop with a speeding vehicle in the 700 block of N. Elm St. The driver did not yield and continued northbound at a high rate of speed. The driver did not stop at the posted stop sign at Elm and Highway 30 as he turned and headed eastbound on Highway 30. The officer gave pursuit and reached speeds up to 96 mph as the vehicle continued eastbound. Another Jefferson officer and Greene and Boone county deputies headed towards the pursuit. The vehicle crossed the centerline and went onto the shoulder as the pursuit continued. The vehicle finally yielded and came to stop in Boone County between B and C Ave. The officer arrested Jordan Collins of Odebolt and charged him with OWI- first offense, eluding-speed 25 or over (aggravated misdemeanor) and operation without owner’s consent (aggravated misdemeanor)*. He was also cited for driving while license suspended, reckless driving, failure to obey stop sign, driving on wrong side of two way highway, failure to provide proof of financial liability, speed (two counts), and insufficient number of headlamps.
Wednesday, Dec. 18: At 4:24 am while on patrol an officer ran a computerized search of a registration plate on a vehicle parked at Sparky’s One Stop. The plate did not belong on the vehicle. The officer went inside to try and make contact with the driver of the vehicle. A female attempted to run from the property, but stopped after a short foot chase. The officer ran the vehicle by the VIN and learned it had been reported as a stolen motor vehicle by the Des Moines PD. The officer located a glass smoking device on the ground outside of the business. The female advised it belonged to her and she had thrown it after seeing him in the area. The officer arrested Yasday Maria Kaye Blanch Sorter, 28, of Des Moines for theft- first degree (C felony), possession of marijuana- second offense (serious misdemeanor), driving while license barred (aggravated misdemeanor) and possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor)*. At 5:15 pm during a traffic stop of a vehicle with dark windows the officer detected the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, the officer located suspected marijuana in the vehicle and on the driver’s person. The items were confiscated for lab testing with charges pending results.
Tuesday, Dec. 17: At 10:20 pm an officer stopped a driver whose vehicle had a third brake light out near W. Reed and N. Maple Sts. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Mark James Hurley, 55, of Jefferson for operating while intoxicated- second offense (aggravated misdemeanor)*. He was cited for the improper rear lamp. ***** Lab results are back on items seized during a traffic stop on 11/28. The officer has requested arrest warrants for Justin Ray Lopez, 21, of Jefferson for possession of marijuana- third offense (aggravated misdemeanor) and possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor)*. ***** Lab results are back on items seized during a traffic stop on 11/23. The officer has requested arrest warrants for Eric Anthony Grevson, 37, of Jefferson for possession of marijuana (serious misdemeanor)* and possession of drug paraphernalia*.
Monday, Dec. 16: At 4:08 pm an officer investigated a one-vehicle property damage accident at the car wash at 208 W. McKinley St. Janis Runyon of Jefferson turned her 2009 Chevrolet Equinox too sharply in the parking lot and became entangled in a guy line for a utility pole. The officer estimated damage to the vehicle at $600. Alliant Energy was contacted to ensure no damage was done to the guy line.
Sunday, Dec. 15: Routine activity reported.
Saturday, Dec. 14: At 9:08 am a complainant she had been sexually and physically assaulted by a male. The officer transported her to ER to gather evidence of the reported crime. The complainant refused to cooperate and left ER. She continued to not cooperate with the investigating officer. At 9:38 am an officer investigated a two-vehicle property damage accident at the intersection of N. Locust and E. Washington Sts. Diana Zinser of Henderson, NV, was northbound on Locust St driving a 2020 Toyota 4Runner owned by Avis Car Rental. She failed to yield at the posted yield sign and entered the intersection, colliding with a westbound 2002 Chrysler Town & Country minivan owned and driven by Renee Colleen Butts of Jefferson. Zinser was cited for failure to obey a yield sign. Butts was cited for failure to provide proof of financial liability- accident related. Damage to each vehicle was estimated at $3,000. At 4:28 pm a complainant reported a trespass by an unknown male at a residence in the 100 block of N. Cedar St. The complainant provided the officer with video of a vehicle and the male subject. The officer could not identify the vehicle or male in the video. He continues to investigate.
Friday, Dec. 13: During a traffic stop in the 2000 block of N. Mulberry St, the officer arrested the driver, Scott Randolph Luke, 31, of Garner for driving while license barred (aggravated misdemeanor)*.
Thursday, Dec. 12: At 3:48 pm an officer assisted a Greene County Conservation employee by dispatching a deer in the 1200 block of W. Lincoln Way. At 3:50 pm a complainant reported a package was delivered at her apartment building in the 300 block of W. Lincoln Way by UPS. She verified it was delivered on 12/02, but she had not received it. It had been left at the wrong apartment. The value of the shipped items was $275.60. The officer is investigating. At 4:32 pm an officer investigated a backing accident in the 200 block of S. Chestnut St. Karen White of Glidden was backing her 2014 Ford F250 pickup truck from a parking spot and backed into a legally parked 2016 Chevrolet Traverse owned by Omega Sang of Jefferson. White was cited for unsafe backing upon a highway. Damage to each vehicle was estimated at $500.
Wednesday, Dec. 11: At 12:15 pm officers arrested Adam Michael Winger, 39, of Jefferson on an outstanding warrant for probation violation*. At 4:09 pm an off duty officer witnessed a female get into a vehicle with a male. The officer knew there is a no contact order in place between the two. Duty officers arrested Jason William Sheldahl, 48, and Tanisha Kathleen Rice, 44, both of Jefferson, for violation of a no contact order (simple misdemeanor)*. *****Jessica Jo Peterson, 36, of Ogden faces further charges. An officer finished an investigation from 12/08 after items had been removed from a common area of the Community Center at Walton Woods. An interior office door was damaged in an attempted burglary. Evidence gathered from the subject while arrested at the Greene County Schools administration building and evidence from Walton Woods gathered by officers has led to the request for additional arrest warrants. Peterson will be charged with burglary- third degree (class D felony) and theft- fifth degree (simple misdemeanor)*.
Tuesday, Dec. 10: Routine activity reported.
Monday, Dec. 9: At 8:58 am staff at Greene County Middle School reported a female in the building. It was reported the female was wandering through the school and had removed items from a locker room and left the building. The school reported they were in “lock down.” The officers arrived and could not locate the female. She had also entered a staff member’s vehicle and removed items from it before leaving the area. At about 10:47, officers were called to the school administration building as the female was now inside that building. Officers arrived and placed the female in custody. She advised the officers that she was homeless as an excuse for her actions in the school buildings. Officers later spoke with officials in Ogden, who advised she is not homeless and lives in their community. Jessica Jo Peterson, 36, of Ogden has been charged with burglary- third degree (aggravated misdemeanor), unlawful possession of prescription drugs (serious misdemeanor) and theft- fifth degree (simple misdemeanor)*. The lock down at the school was lifted at about 10:55 with the arrest of the subject. At 9:45 am staff at Walton Woods reported an overnight attempted burglary to the business office at the apartment complex. The office door showed signs of an attempt to gain entry with a prying tool. The officer is waiting for video surveillance footage of the area from overnight. The investigation continues. At 8:16 pm staff at Casey’s General Store reported a small fuel spill. The responding officer recommended placing cat liter on the small area to clean up the fuel. No further action required.
Sunday, Dec. 8: At 8:54 pm a resident reported she had captured a stray dog in the 600 block of W. Clark St. The officer placed the dog in the animal holding facility. At 10:24 pm staff at Hy-Vee reported to an officer they believed a customer had purchased alcohol and gave the items to suspected underage persons after leaving the store. The store has provided the officer with video and the investigation continues. At 11:10 pm staff at Aureon reported damage to a window which appeared to have been caused by a BB gun. The officer is investigating.
Saturday, Dec. 7: At 3:56 pm Meritza Paniagua reported a hit and run accident in the 400 block of N. Chestnut St. The 2019 Kia Sportage had been parked in the area for a few hours. When she returned to the vehicle, she found $500 in damages to the rear bumper. The officer is investigating. At 4:42 pm a complainant reported a suspicious vehicle with no plates in the 700 block of Sunset Drive. Officers responded and eventually located the vehicle in the area. A traffic stop was performed with the vehicle in the 900 block of S. Elm St. Elisabeth Zieman of Des Moines was cited for failure to have a valid driver’s license. The vehicle was missing the VIN plate from the dash and the driver could not show proof of ownership nor proof of financial liability. The officer towed the vehicle to impound. During a vehicle inventory officers located suspected drug-related items and seized them for testing. Charges pending lab results.
Friday, Dec. 6: Routine activity reported.
Thursday, Dec. 5: At 11:16 am a traffic stop in the 500 block of N. Vine St resulted in Marcia Lowe of Yale being cited for failure to have a valid driver’s license. During the stop, the officer detected the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer advised he was going to conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle, based on the smell. The female driver handed over suspected marijuana, prescription medications and drug paraphernalia to the officer voluntarily. The items were seized for testing with charges pending lab results. At 9:33 pm officers responded to a call about the smell of marijuana in an apartment building in the 300 block of E. Lincoln Way. While checking apartments for the smell, the officers made contact with a wanted subject. Kevin Spurlock, 21, of Des Moines was arrested on a Boone County warrant for failure to appear*.
Wednesday, Dec. 4: At 3:15 pm a complainant reported her purse was stolen/missing while at the Jefferson public library. She provided the officer with the description of a female who had sat near her. The officer located the female and was given the purse back. She advised she had grabbed the purse by mistake when she left the library. The officer returned the purse to complainant, who went through the purse and reported missing bank cards. The investigation continues.
Tuesday, Dec. 3: At 12 pm officers arrested Patrick Michael Kennedy, 35, of Jefferson on Polk Country arrest warrants for probation violation*. He was taken to the Greene County LEC to be transferred later to Polk County. At 3:59 pm Colton Davis reported he had been northbound on Elm St at the posted stop sign as Lincoln Way when a Greene County school bus struck the rear of his 2007 Chrysler Pacifica. The officer did not locate any damage on Davis’ vehicle. The officer followed up with the bus driver and was advised Davis had rolled backwards into the front of the bus. There was no damage to the bus. The officer viewed local surveillance footage from the area and located the reported event. The footage supported the bus driver’s claim. Neither party requested a report after the officer relayed his findings to them.
Monday, Dec. 2: At 2 am an officer located an open business door in the 100 block of N. Wilson Ave. The owner of the building was contacted, due to a possible break in. The officer is investigating. At 3:56 am a complainant reported a burglary to a vehicle parked in the 500 block of N. Cedar St. He reported $4r00 in cash missing from the vehicle. The investigation continues. At 9 am a Greene County Schools bus driver brought a school bus violation form to the LEC. The driver reported a vehicle passed the stopped bus at Chestnut St and Harding Road as the lights and stop are were activated. She provided information about the vehicle and driver to the officer. The officer’s investigation led to Mercedes Vargus Ramirez of Jefferson being cited for unlawful passing of school bus.
Sunday, Dec. 1: Routine activity reported.
*Note: All charges are merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
