Following are excerpts of activities reported by the Jefferson police department:
Monday, July 31: At 10:19 am a complainant reported a possible scam on Facebook Marketplace. A subject had arrived at the complainant’s home to purchase a golf cart that was listed on Facebook Marketplace. The complainant did not have a listing. The officer reported the event to Facebook Marketplace. At 12:55 pm a complainant reported receiving text messages from two individuals attempting to get him to purchase cocaine by the kilo. The officer advised him to block the subjects from his Social Media accounts.
Sunday, Aug. 30: At 4:20 pm a complainant reported catching a stray dog in the 700 block of S. Vine St. The officer placed the dog in the animal shelter.
Saturday, July 29: At 8:38 pm a complainant reported the strong odor of natural gas near W. Washington and N. Oak Sts. The officer located the source of the odor coming from a residence in the 300 block of N. Oak St. Jefferson fire and Alliant Energy were contacted and the gas service was shut off and padlocked until repairs can be made in the residence.
Friday, July 28: At 4:50 pm a local contractor reported a theft of services at a residence in the 700 block of E. Lincoln Way. The officer is investigating. At 8:10 pm a complainant reported receiving text messages from a known male threatening to “shoot up” at the complainant’s residence. The officer’s investigation led to an arrest warrant being requested for Cody Allen Gray, 18, of Winterset for harassment- first degree (aggravated misdemeanor)*.
Thursday, July 27: Routine activity reported
Wednesday, July 26: At 8:09 am a caller spoke with an officer in connection to fears of drug abuse by her adult daughter in Jefferson. The officer is working to contact the subject’s probation officer. At 3:28 pm an officer started an investigation of a backing accident in the HyVee parking lot. At 3:45 pm an officer met with two subjects at the LEC who advised of harassment by a store clerk at Oly’s Corner. An investigation has begun. At 6:57 pm an officer freed a groundhog that was trapped in a window well in the 1100 block of McDuffie Drive.
Tuesday, July 25: At 10:04 am a complainant reported a bicycle was stolen from the downtown square during the RAGBRAI® event. The bike was later located and had not been stolen. At 8:12 pm an officer was advised of a light pole that had been struck on knocked over near Mahlon St and N. Wilson Ave. The officer was given a vehicle description of the vehicle, which fled from the area. The officer is investigating. At 11:56 pm an officer performed a traffic stop due to a headlight out on a vehicle. The officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Richard Young, 62, of Jefferson for operating while intoxicated*.
Monday, July 24: At 11:20 am staff at the public library advised of an abandoned bicycle there. The officer placed the bike in the impound lot. At 3:48 pm an officer investigated an accident on Hwy 30 at N. Elm St. Richard Ostercamp of Eagle Grove was eastbound driving his 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche when he struck the stop sign at the intersection. Ostercamp was cited for striking fixture upon a highway. Damage to his vehicle was estimated at $1,000. Damage to the stop sign was estimated at $500. At 5:53 pm a complainant reported catching a piglet in the 1100 block of S. Elm St. The piglet had fallen from a passing truck. At 6:59 pm during a traffic stop in the 500 block of N. Elm St the officer’s investigation led to the arrest of Brent Cooper, 40, of Vincent for driving while license revoked, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of a restricted license*. At 11:31 pm an officer assisted a deputy near 237th St and Jordan Ave in Jackson Township with a vehicle in the river.
Sunday, July 23: At 12:26 a complainant reported his neighbor was burning materials at a residence in the 500 block of E. Adams St. The officer met with the neighbor, who was burning scrap wood. He was advised only yard waste can be burned in town and asked to extinguish the fire, which he did. At 4:47 pm a complainant reported a vehicle with its hazard lights on near S. Elm and Vest Sts. The officer spoke to the subject, who was having a fuel pump issue. The officer assisted in getting a tow for the vehicle to remove it from the roadway.
Saturday, July 22: At 11:50 pm an officer assisted an Iowa State Patrol trooper with a traffic stop on Hwy 30 near Doreen Wilber Dr. The trooper arrested the driver for operating while intoxicated.
Friday, July 21: At 11:07 am an officer arrested Breanna Mahers, 21, of Jefferson on an outstanding Jefferson PD warrant for assault- simple*. At 12:44 pm an officer was assisted by deputies, Greene County ambulance and the medical examiner with a death scene at a residence in the 400 block of S. Chestnut St. At 12:51 pm staff at McFarland Clinic requested an officer to transport a male to ER for a mental evaluation. The subject fled the clinic on foot before the officer arrived. The officer located the subject near W. Lincoln Way and Pinet St. As the officer approached the male, he fled through area yards. The officer located the subject at a residence in the 700 block of W. Harrison St. The officer and deputies entered the residence and the subject exited an open window onto the porch roof. The officer and deputies eventually coaxed the subject back inside. He was transported to ER for an evaluation. At 10:55 pm a complainant reported being harassed by a customer while he worked at Sparky’s One Stop. The subject was attempting to physically fight with the employee, who refused to do so. Management asked the officer to advise the customer he was now banned from the property. The officer passed on the information.
Thursday, July 20: At 8:03 am a complainant reported an abandoned bicycle at Daubendiek Park. The officer placed the bike in the Impound Lot. At 4 pm a complainant reported a possible violation of a no contact order. The officer is investigating.
Wednesday, July 19: At 3:56 pm a caller reported a very young female walking near W. Washington and N. Vine Sts. They advised the child was alone and appeared to be lost. The officer did not locate the youngster. At 6:59 pm while on patrol an officer spotted a subject for whom there was an outstanding arrest warrant in the 500 block of N. Cedar St. The subject took off running from the residence and the officer pursued. After a short foot chase, the officer caught the subject in the 500 block of S. Olive St. The officer arrested Tyler James Armstrong, 38, of Jefferson on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear*.
Tuesday, July 18: Routine activity reported.
Monday, July 17: At 1:34 a complainant reported a rock was thrown through a window of a residence in the 200 block of W. Russell St. The officer is investigating. At 10:21 pm subjects turned in an abandoned bicycle. The officer placed the bike in Impound.
Sunday, July 16: Routine activity reported.
Saturday, July 15: At 12:03 am an officer investigated a hit and run accident which occurred in the parking lot at the Jefferson municipal golf course. A 2014 Dodge Challenger owned by Melisse Schilling of Jefferson was struck while parked there. The vehicle had a reported $5,000 in damages. The officer is investigating. At 12:20 am an officer assisted the Jefferson fire department with a fire in the appliance dump site on the county secondary roads lot near W. Clark St and Grimmell Rd. The fire department extinguished the fire. At 3:31 pm a complainant reported a young female knocked on his door in the 400 block of Rushview Drive, asking to use his restroom. He took the young girl around the neighborhood attempting to locate her parents, but was unsuccessful. Officers and deputies checked the area, but did not locate the child. No reports came in of a missing child.
Friday, July 14: At 2:42 pm officers were assisted by the sheriff’s office in executing two search warrants at 305 S. Walnut St and 1248 245th St. Items of paraphernalia and narcotics were seized at both locations. Charges are pending lab results.
Thursday, July 13: At 12:32 am staff at Sparky’s One Stop reported a vehicle had struck the building. Anthony Smith of Des Moines had parked his 2012 Ford F150 on the south side of the building. Smith exited the vehicle without placing it in park, and it lunged towards the building, striking it. The building had a reported $5,000 in damages. The Smith vehicle suffered $2,500 in damages. At 12:42 pm an officer arrested Anthony Nunez, 55, of Jefferson on an outstanding arrest warrant for probation violation*. At 2:09 pm an officer attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle with dark windows near E. Adams and N. Cedar Sts. The driver failed to yield and continued to drive across town, ignoring the lights and sirens. The vehicle came to a stop at a residence in the 900 block of N. Pinet St. The officer arrested Ryan James Brown, 50, of Jefferson for driving while license barred (aggravated misdemeanor)*. He was also cited for failure to carry registration card, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, a registration violation, and excessive window tint. At 4:06 pm staff at Boys’ Town spoke with an officer about alleged drug activity at a Jefferson resident where she is supervising juveniles. The officer is investigating the claims. At 7:03 pm an officer investigated a backing accident in the 100 block of N. Oak St. Mary Jane Fields of Jefferson attempted to back her 2019 Mazda CX5 from a private drive but struck a parked 1976 GMC truck owned by Charles Foster of Jefferson. Fields was cited for unsafe backing upon highway. Damage to each vehicle was estimated at $1,000.
Wednesday, July 12: At 4:40 am officers worked to remove tree branches from the roadways after the storm. Several power lines were located that were down. Officers stood by until Alliant arrived to make repairs. At 7:08 pm an officer was advised that a juvenile had vaping products and marijuana at the Jefferson swimming pool. The officer spoke to the youth, who gave the officer consent to remove the items from his shoe. The officer seized the items and charges are pending.
Tuesday, July 11: At 10:36 am a complainant reported receiving a phone scam call. The caller advised he worked for the IRS and he was collecting a debt for unpaid taxes. He advised the complainant owed more than $10,000 in unpaid taxes. The complainant recognized the scam and the call was ended. He did not incur a loss. The IRS will never call you about situations like this. At 4:25 pm an officer investigated an accident at N. Olive and E. Adams Sts. Shelby Wiggins of Jefferson was northbound on Olive driving her 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. Ladonna Lebeck of Grand Junction was westbound on Adams driving a 2015 Ford Taurus owned by Katherina Bishop of Wellsburg. The vehicles collided in the intersection. Wiggins was cited for failure to yield to vehicle on right. Damage to her vehicle was estimated at $1,000. Damage to the Taurus was estimated at $5,000.
Monday, July 10: At 6:21 pm an officer performed a traffic stop on a driver pulling a trailer in the 1000 block of E. Lincoln Way. The trailer had a brake light which was not functioning. The officer arrested Royce Gonnelly, 32, of Jefferson for operating while intoxicated (serious misdemeanor)*. He was also cited for driving while license suspended. At 9:14 pm an officer performed a traffic stop near W. Central Ave and N. Walnut St with a driver who had not turned on the vehicle headlights. The male driver was bleeding from the nose and advised the officer his girlfriend had just assaulted him and was now walking north on Grimmell Road. He advised the assault had occurred near Wild Rose Casino. The officer located the female and arrested Christina King, 46, of Rippey for domestic abuse assault (simple misdemeanor)*.
Sunday, July 9: At 11:58 an officer assisted deputies with an accident on Hwy 30 just west of M Ave. 220th, just west of M Ave.
Saturday, July 8: At 4:26 pm an officer arrested Luke Holinski, 26, of Jefferson on an outstanding Greene County arrest warrant for probation violation*. At 4:54 pm a complainant reported an abandoned bicycle in the 200 block of N. Elm St. The officer placed the bike in impound.
Friday, July 7: Routine activity reported.
Thursday, July 6: At 1:11 pm a complainant reported a domestic assault incident which had occurred in February 2023. The officer is investigating. At 7:15 pm a traffic stop near Hwy 30 and Grimmell Rd resulted in the arrest of Jay D. Wenger, 25, of Beaver for driving while license barred*.
Wednesday, July 5: At 11:05 am an officer assisted a US Treasury agent in collecting government property at a residence in the 800 block of S. Elm St. At 11:46 am a complainant reported catching a stray dog in the 500 block of W. State St. The officer placed the dog in the animal shelter. At 6:50 pm a complainant reported a possible theft of services (water) at a residence in the 600 block of W. Lincoln Way. The officer is investigating. At 7:47 pm an officer performed a traffic stop with Timothy Owens, 48, of Boone for having dark windows on his vehicle. The officer was advised of an outstanding Warren County arrest warrant for Owens. He was arrested by the officer for extradition to Warren County.
Tuesday, July 4: At 5:02 pm an officer assisted the Urbandale PD in locating a vehicle, believed to be in Jefferson, which had been involved in a hit & run accident in Urbandale. The officer did not locate the vehicle in Jefferson.
Monday, July 3: At 5:27 am a caller advised of a vehicle in the grass at Greene County Middle School. The officer located the unoccupied vehicle. The vehicle had been damaged, disabling it. The officer contacted the registered owner and learned the vehicle had been taken without his permission. The officer has suspects in the matter and is investigating. At 1:32 pm an officer executed a juvenile pick-up order for a 13-year-old male. He was taken to the LEC and later transported by Juvenile Transport.
Saturday, July 2: At 2:26 am a complainant reported a fight occurring in the 300 block of W. Reed St. The officer is investigating. At 9:01 am while on patrol an officer located a male for whom he knew there was an active arrest warrant. The officer arrested Andrew Jensen of Jefferson for parole violation and possession of marijuana- third offense*. At 11:15 am a complainant reported a theft of a cellular phone having occurred in the 500 block of S. Walnut St.
Friday, July 1: At 11:23 pm staff at Greene County Medical Center reported a possibly intoxicated male causing problems with patients there. The officer located the male. As a result of the officer’s investigation Harvick Beals of Jefferson was arrested for disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and possession of alcohol under age 21*
*All charges are merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
