Following are excerpts of activities reported by the Jefferson police department:
Monday, Jan. 31: At 11:58 am a complainant reported her neighbor cut a tree branch and the branch took down her powerline in the 600 block of S. Chestnut St. Alliant Energy was contacted to make repairs. At 2:56 pm an officer was requested at Wild Rose Casino for a reported domestic assault occurring there. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Ian Russell Patterson, 41, of Des Moines for domestic abuse assault (simple misdemeanor)*. At 3:56 pm an officer investigated a backing accident near W. Adams and N. High Sts. Michael Lawrence of Enid was backing his 2000 Ford Ranger westbound on Adams St and backed into an oncoming 2005 Ford Explorer operated by Asta Jurgensen of Scranton. Lawrence was cited for unsafe backing upon a highway. Damage to each of the vehicles was estimated at $500.
Sunday, Jan. 30: Routine activity reported.
Saturday, Jan. 29: At 10:08 pm staff atHyVee reported a male had stolen alcohol from the business. The business knew the male and provided officers with video of the Theft. The officers are investigating.
Friday, Jan. 28: At 10:36 am officers assisted the Iowa DCI in an investigation into a stolen ATM from Wild Rose Casino.
Thursday, Feb. 27: At 8:18 am a complainant reported overnight trespassers walking through his yard in the 200 block of N. Olive St. He provided the officer with video of the event. At 11:04 am an officer spotted a known wanted male in a vehicle in the 200 block of N. Locust St. The officer arrested Zachary Allen Watters-Rice, 25, of Jefferson on the outstanding Greene County warrant for violation of a court order*.
Wednesday, Jan. 26: At 11:34 am staff at Fareway advised a male subject who had been trespassed from the property a few months ago had just left the business. The officer has requested an arrest warrant for Cody Heirs of Scranton for trepass (simple misdemeanor)*. At 4:40 pm staff at Casey’s General Store reported a subject who had been trespassed from the business had returned and made foul hand gestures to an employee. The officer is investigating. At 4:58 pm staff at Oly’s Corner reported a gas drive off in the amount of $23.46. The officer is attempting to contact the subject, who lives in Boone. At 7:03 pm a complainant reported a vehicle parked in the alley in the 400 block of N. Chestnut St from which the windows were broken out and glass was everywhere. When the officer arrived, the vehicle was gone, and no reports were made to police from the owner.
Tuesday, Jan. 25: Routine activity reported.
Monday, Jan. 24: At 4:42 pm a complainant reported she had caught a stray dog in the300 block of E. State St. The officer placed the dog in the animal holding facility. At 6:40 pm officers investigated an accident at N. Elm and W. Washington Sts. Anna Talbott of Perry was eastbound driving a 2005 Honda Civic owned by Teresa Magna of Perry. As she approached the posted stop sign at Elm St she was in the westbound lane. Kelsey Coffin of Jefferson, who was driving a 2015 Ford van owned by Midwest Construction of Ohio, was northbound on Elm and attempted to turn left onto Washington. She struck the Honda. Talbott was cited for fail to yield half of roadway when meeting vehicle. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $1,500. Damage to the Ford van was estimated at $1,500.
Sunday, Jan. 23: At 5:45 pm a complainant reported the theft of meat valued at $200 from a residence in the 400 block of N. Chestnut St. officer is investigating.
Saturday, Jan. 22: At 11:39 am an officer was requested at a residence in the 100 block of S. Elm St for a reported domestic situation occurring there. The officer arrived and made contact with the couple, who advised they were involved in a verbal argument. During the interaction, the officer smelled and witnessed drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain sight in the living room. The officer seized the marijuana and paraphernalia for testing. Charges are pending. At 12:48 pm an officer investigated an accident in the 100 block of E. Lincoln Way. Julie Neal of Jefferson was operating a 2020 Nissan Rogue. She was attempted to park on the north side of the street when she struck a parked 2014 Ford F150 pickup truck owned by Mark Lappegard of Cooper. Her vehicle then crossed the sidewalk and struck a metal stair handrail and an electrical box before stopping. Neal advised the accelerator in the vehicle had stuck open. Damage to her vehicle was estimated at $10,000. Damage to Lappegard’s vehicle was estimated at $1,000. Damage to the handrail and electrical box was estimated at $2,000. At 8:49 pm a resident reported a water main break near Monroe and Georgia Sts. The break was reported to the public works department.
Friday, Jan. 21: At 9:57 am an officer investigated an accident at W. Madison and S. Vine Sts. Blake Halligan of Jefferson was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu owned by Brian Mobley. Gabriel Fincel of Rippey was driving a 2001 Mercedes MLS owned by Christina King. Both drivers stopped at the posted stop signs at about the same time and collided in the intersection. Fincel was cited for failure to yield to the vehicle on the right. Damage to the vehicle he was driving was estimated at $2,500. Damage to the vehicle Halligan was driving was estimated at $3,500. At 1:55 pm staff at Fareway reported a shoplifting event. The business provided the officer with video surveillance of the event. A female shopper placed a package of cat treats in her coat and left the business without paying for the $1.69 item. The officer has requested an arrest warrant for Audrie Lawrence, 21, of Jefferson for theft- fifth degree (simple misdemeanor)*. Lawrence was also banned from shopping at the business in the future.
Thursday, Jan. 20: At 11:56 am a complainant reported the theft of approximately $300 in change from a residence in the 300 block of E. State St. The officer is investigating.
Wednesday, Jan. 19: At 10:07 am a complainant reported her items were stolen from a storage unit in Jefferson, and they were now being sold online. The officer learned in his investigation that the complainant had not paid for several months of her rent on the storage unit, and her items were thrown out when the owner cleaned out the unpaid unit. No theft had occurred. At 2:24 pm the city public works director requested assistance from an officer at a residence in the 900 block of W. State St. A subject had contacted public works and advised a snowplow had struck his vehicle, while it was plowed around during the snow event. It was obvious the damage was not from a plow. The officers take a photo of plow marks around vehicles that have been plowed around before issuing a citation. The officer reviewed the photo, which clearly showed the plow was not close to the vehicle as it plowed around it. At 5:55 pm a complainant reported the railroad crossing arms at the N. Grimmell Union Pacific crossing were going up and down without a train approaching. Union Pacific was contacted about the issue.
Tuesday, Jan. 18: At 11:57 am a complainant advised of receiving text messages from an unknown subject attempting to purchase narcotics. The officer is investigating. At 12:51 pm a complainant reported someone had struck and damaged a mailbox in the 700 block of S. Locust St. At 4:47 pm Jared Dennhardt reported his 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup truck had left the roadway and struck an Alliant Energy station box near N. Grimmell Rd and W. Clark St. Dennhardt advised he applied his brakes to avoid striking a slow-moving vehicle ahead of him. He attempted to go around the vehicle and lost control of his vehicle and entered the ditch, striking the electric box. Dennhardt was cited for fail to maintain control. Damage to his pickup truck was estimated at $2,000. Alliant Energy was contacted to repair the box and estimated damage at $25,000.
Monday, Jan. 17: At 4:26 pm a caller advised of suspicious activity occurring in the 400 block of N. Chestnut St. The officer is investigating.
Sunday, Jan. 16: At 12:20 am an officer performed a traffic stop with a speeding driver in the 200 block of Head St. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Todd Edward Geisler, 49, of Jefferson for operating while intoxicated*. He was cited for excessive speed. At 8:41 am a complainant reported the theft of an Appe watch from a residence in the 500 block of S. Oak St.
Saturday, Jan. 15: *****Officers issued nine citations for violating the parking- snow ordinance.
Friday, Jan. 14: At 9:38 am an officer was assisted by Jefferson fire, Greene County Ambulance and deputies with a head-on collision on Highway 30 near Mulberry St. A 2005 Nissan Sentra, owned by Mariah McCoy of Wakefield, NE, and operated by James Cummings of Des Moines struck head-on an oncoming 2008 Buick SUV owned by Jose Baquera of Fort Morgan, CO, and operated by Luis Mendoza. One driver was transported to Greene County Medical Center. Officers were unable to determine which vehicle was in the wrong lane and no citations were issued. Both vehicles were a total loss.
Thursday, Jan. 13: At 1:45 pm a caller requested a welfare check on a female and children at a residence in the 300 block of N. Vine St after not seeing any movement for several days at the residence. The officer went to the door and made contact with a female. The officer noticed the strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the residence. During a consent search of the residence, the officer took suspected narcotics and paraphernalia items into evidence for testing at the lab. Charges are pending at this time. At 3:14 pm staff at Wild Rose Casino reported a male subject on the gaming floor who had signed a self-exclusion form in 2007. Chanxay Siriphan of Des Moines was cited for trespass (simple misdemeanor)*. At 10:49 pm an officer located two subjects arguing in the street beside a vehicle near N. Cedar and E. Adams Sts. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Robert Harvilicz, 42 of Jefferson for public intoxication (simple misdemeanor)*.
Wednesday, Jan. 12: Routine activity reported.
Tuesday, Jan. 11: At 5:53 pm an officer investigated a car-deer accident on S. Elm St south of 250th St. Petra Dawson of Jefferson was northbound driving her 2005 Ford F150 pickup truck when a deer jumped in front of the truck. The officer estimated damages to Dawson’s vehicle at $1500. At 11:45 pm staff at Casey’s General Store requested an officer for a customer who used a counterfeit $100 bill. The officer seized the bill and spoke to the female who used it. The investigation continues.
Monday, Jan. 10: At 7:56 am a complainant requested an officer at a residence in the 700 block of W. State St for domestic issues between the complainant and her boyfriend. The officer detected the odor of marijuana inside the residence and asked about the smell. The complainant turned over numerous items containing marijuana and drug paraphernalia items. The investigation continues. At 5:40 pm a complainant reported an injured deer in the roadway near S. Elm St and Ram Dr. The officer dispatched the animal and removed it from the roadway.
Sunday, Jan. 9: At 3:06 pm, after an attempted traffic stop in the 400 block of E. Monroe St, the driver fled from the vehicle and entered a residence at in the 400 block of E. Monroe. The officer requested assistance from deputies. The homeowner gave permission to search the residence for the male. The officer located and arrested Rickie Eugene Tuhn, 60, of Jefferson for driving while license barred (aggravated misdemeanor)*.
Saturday, Jan. 8: At 9:51 am a complainant reported a tire on her vehicle was slashed while parked at Wild Rose Casino on 01/07/2022. She offered the officer a name of a male subject she had problems with at the casino before her tire was slashed. The officer is investigating. At 9:54 am a caller advised of a vehicle being towed by another vehicle on Highway 30 heading west into Jefferson. The vehicle being towed was reported to be throwing sparks from underneath. The officer located the reported vehicles at Sparky’s One Stop and spoke with the drivers. A bolt had come out, allowing a tow bar to drag on the road. Repairs were made before the drivers continued on their way. At 1:37 pm staff at A & W Family Restaurant requested an officer for an unruly customer. The officer spoke with the male customer and assisted him in setting up a ride back to Story County. At 2:54 pm a traffic stop near N. Elm and Central Ae resulted in the arrest of Michael Lee Eastman, 48, of Jefferson for driving while license barred (aggravated misdemeanor)*. At 4:33 pm a resident caught a stray dog in the 600 block of W. Lincoln Way. The officer placed the dog in the animal holding facility. At 4:39 pm a resident reported falling victim to a phone scam. She had followed the instructions of the caller to purchase gift cards and provide the numbers on the back of the cards. She reported the loss of $1,000. These cases cannot be investigated, and residents are reminded not to become involved with transactions over the phone with gift cards.
Friday, Jan. 17: At 12:23 pm a complainant spoke to an officer about a possible violation of a no contact order. The officer is investigating. At 5:46 pm an officer responded to a car-deer accident on 270th St one mile west of Jefferson. The officer stood by until a deputy responded to investigate the accident.
Thursday, Jan. 6: At 12:30 pm an officer began an investigation with DHS into a possible elder abuse case in Jefferson. At 1:07 pm staff at Wild Rose Casino reported a possible hit and run accident that occurred 1/04. An officer is investigating.
Wednesday, Jan. 5: At 10:38 pm staff at Wild Rose Casino reported a male patron was on the self-exclusion List. The officer verified the information and issued Jeffrey Specht of Coon Rapids a summons to appear on a charge of trespass (simple misdemeanor)*.
Tuesday, Jan. 4: Routine activity reported.
Monday, Jan. 3: At 12:04 pm a complainant reported he was harassed by a customer while working at Casey’s General Store the previous day. An officer is investigating the complaint. At 12:54 pm a traffic stop at W. Harrison and S. Vine Sts resulted in the arrest of Mark Marrow, 61, of Jefferson for driving while license barred*.
Sunday, Jan. 2: At 7:53 ama complainant reported a theft of mail in the 300 block of W. Lincoln Way. An officer is investigating. At 2:27 pm a complainant reported a trespass and criminal mischief at a residence in the 300 block of W. Lincoln Way. An officer is investigating. At 4:43 pm a complainant reported an unknown vehicle damaged her mailbox in the 500 block of E. Reed St. An officer is investigating. At 11:13 pm an officer was called to Sparky’s for a matter that was determined to be civil in nature. The officer later learned the driving privileges of one of the parties involved are barred, and that person possibly drove to Sparky’s. The officer is investigating the possible driving infraction.
Saturday, Jan. 1: At 2:17 pm a complainant reported an altercation with another male that took place sometime in the past in the 600 block of W. Lincoln Way. An officer is working to collect additional information and investigate the allegation.
*All charges are merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
