Newton Police Department
• Two 14-year-old Newton males were charged Thursday with possession of burglar’s tools after officers were dispatched at 1:06 a.m. to the 600 block of South Fourth Avenue West for a report of two juveniles who were trying to break into a minivan. They were found with a black metal bar with duct tape wrapped around the ends. Both were referred to juvenile court services.
• Adam D. Ahn, 29, of Colfax was charged Wednesday with aggravated eluding after an officer observed him traveling east at a high rate of speed at 11:01 p.m. Tuesday in the 3000 block of First Avenue East. The officer determined the driver was traveling 55 mph in a 40-mph zone. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the motorist sped up. Speeds reached up 105 mph. The vehicle then passed another vehicle crossing the double yellow line. As Ahn was travelling east toward Kellogg, he attempted to make a turn on Highway 224 but lost control of his vehicle and slid into a ditch. After assisting Ahn out of the vehicle, he also cited him with speeding, unsafe passing and failure to maintain control. Ahn was taken to Jasper County Jail.
• John R. Keller, 63, of Newton was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated after authorities stopped him at 12:43 a.m. Friday in the 1000 block of Union Drive for speeding. Keller appeared to be intoxicated and failed sobriety tests, and he also was cited with speeding for traveling 50 mph in a 35-mph zone. He was released to appear in court.
• Alex J. Leinen, 25, of Newton was charged with two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia after Newton police went to his residence at 6:04 p.m. Wednesday looking for a wanted person. Leinen consented to a search. While conducting the search, authorities found a water bong and a multi-colored glass pipe. Leinen stated they were not his items. The defendant admitted to smoking marijuana and pulled out a scale, a grinder and two glass jars with seeds in them. After the defendant was read his rights, he admitted the grinder, scale and jars were his. He was charged and released to appear in court.
• Randal G. Meyer, 54, of Newton was charged with five counts of violation of a no contact order, a simple misdemeanor, on Tuesday after the protected party reported Meyer had violated the no contact order on multiple occasions. Meyer was charged for allegedly leaving a letter in the victim’s vehicle some time between May 26 and 31, entering the victim’s vehicle without permission on June 1 at Walmart, giving the victim’s 7-year-old son a letter to give to her on June 16, calling the victim 19 times between May 26 and June 17 and sending the victim 79 text messages between June 1 and 17. Meyer was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• Lonnie D. Poweshiek, 46, of Montour was arrested Wednesday and charged with eluding and driving while license barred after an officer traveling west at 3:17 a.m. in the 1000 block of North 19th Avenue East observed a vehicle passing other motorists. The officer then positioned himself ahead of the vehicle and used his stationary radar to observe that Poweshiek was travelling 73 mph in a 55-mph zone. Poweshiek allegedly attempted to elude the officer and finally stopped at East 60th Street North and Island Avenue. After being pulled over, Poweshiek admitted to eluding the officer because he was driving with a barred license and had a warrant for his arrest in another county. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• John M. Travis, 29, of Newton was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and public intoxication, third or subsequent offense, after Newton police received a report at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday from Park Centre of a male subject sitting in front of the building smoking and acting suspicious. Following an investigation, Travis was charged for allegedly having a baggie containing 1 gram of marijuana. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail, where he also admitted to taking Adderall.
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.