Newton Police Department
• Dustin R. Bestell, 20, of Baxter was charged with serious assault after authorities spoke with a female juvenile at 8:15 p.m. June 18. The girl told police she was traveling on her bicycle when Bestell opened a car door, striking her with the door. Bestell told officers he opened the car door to say hi but never struck her with it. Police observed scrapes on her right knee. Bestell was charged Thursday and released to appear in court.
• John D. Dawson, 38, of Newton was cited with following too close after traveling in the 1300 block of South 12th Avenue West at 9:08 p.m. Friday and striking the rear of a vehicle ahead of him driven by Rodric M. Leavens, 48, of Newton. No one was injured. Damage was estimated at $900 to Leavens’ vehicle and $4,000 to Dawson’s vehicle.
• Devin M. Hoksbergen, 23, of Newton was charged with harassing a public official after authorities were dispatched at 1:29 a.m. Saturday to 719 E. Eighth St. N. in reference to a suicidal and wanted subject. Upon arrival, officers noticed a man enter the front of the residence. After witnessing him enter the house, officers heard a large crash in the back yard. When officers went to the rear of the house, they observed him lying facedown on the ground. The male then jumped up and ran toward the house. Officers were able to detain him. When officers inquired about the location of Hoksbergen, the man said he didn’t know. When asked about his own name and date of birth, he lied. He later admitted he was Hoksbergen and was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• James L. Koon, 20, of Newton was charged for possession of drug paraphernalia after authorities were dispatched at 9:42 a.m. Thursday to the 200 block of East 25th Street North on a report of two suspicious males sitting in a vehicle. Upon arrival, the male in the driver’s side exited the vehicle and ran off. Officers were able to detain the second male, identified as Koon, who could not give a reason for being in the neighborhood or why the other male ran off. Neither male owned the vehicle, and the officers contacted the owner, who gave permission to search the vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a black bag containing a spoon, syringe and a plastic tube. Koon charged and released to appear in court.
• Virjene R. Perales, 35, of Newton was charged with fifth-degree theft after authorities received a shoplifting complaint at 3:08 p.m. Friday at Hy-Vee. A Hy-Vee employee reported Perales was seen attempting to conceal items on her person as she exited the store. The total value of the items found on Perales was $48.81. Perales was charged and released to appear in court.
• Dennis U. Rice, 37, of Newton was arrested on a Jasper County warrant for probation violation at 11:33 p.m. Friday after authorities located him in the 500 block of East 11th Street South. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• Austin M. Smith, 19, of Des Moines was cited with failure to yield upon left turn after traveling east on South Eighth Avenue West at 2:56 p.m. Thursday, attempting to turn left at West Sixth Street South and colliding with a vehicle driven by Adam J. Halterman, 32, of Newton. Damages were estimated at $500 to Halterman’s vehicle and $700 to Smith’s vehicle.
• Andrew J. Sutton, 46, of Newton was cited with following too close and failure to have insurance after striking the rear of a vehicle driven by Emalene J. Huebner, 20, of Kellogg at 10:16 p.m. Saturday at First Avenue East and East 23rd Street North. Damages were estimated at $1,000 to Huebner’s vehicle and $500 to Sutton’s vehicle. Huebner also was cited with failure to have insurance.
• Tyler A. Sutton, 17, of Newton was charged with fifth-degree after a Walmart asset protection employee reported theft at 2:42 p.m. Friday. Walmart employees had detained Sutton for allegedly attempting to steal a Playstation game valued at $21.36. Sutton was charged released to appear in court.
• Mason C. Sutton, 26, of Newton was charged with driving while license suspended after authorities stopped him for an equipment violation at 1:34 a.m. Saturday in the 600 block of North Second Avenue East. He was given a warning for having an inoperable headlight and released to appear in court. A passenger in the vehicle, Heidi S. Smith, 28, of Newton was arrested on a Polk County warrant for failure to appear in court on a driving while license barred charge. She was transported to the county line and turned over to Polk County authorities.
Jasper County Sheriff’s Office
• Charles E. Albertson II, 36, of Kellogg and Damian S. Anderson, 17, of Newton were charged with theft following an incident at 1:27 a.m. Sunday. Albertson and Anderson were charged for allegedly going to a campsite and taking five fishing poles, valued at $250. The victim saw the two men leaving with the poles and began yelling at them. The men dropped the poles into the ditch as law enforcement arrived in the area. Albertson had an open can of beer in his hand when he was approached by officers and was additionally charged with public intoxication.
• Dustin M. Nicol, 32, of Knoxville was charged with public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana after authorities observed him fishing near the public roadway at 11:35 p.m. Friday in the 11300 block of Spencer Street. Nicol had two empty beer cans around him and admitted to drinking several beers over several hours. While speaking with the subject, officers saw a baggie with a green leafy substance inside the open pocket of a bag. Nicol admitted the bag was his and that it contained marijuana. The leafy substance tested positive for marijuana. Three smoking pipes also were found in the backpack as well as rolling papers. Nicol was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• John H. Zeekas, 59, of Newton was cited for driving while license suspended after authorities stopped him at 1:48 p.m. Friday at East 19th Street North and North 13th Avenue East and determined his license was suspended.
Prairie City Police Department
• Billy W. Herweh Jr., 27, was transferred from Fort Dodge Correctional Facility for warrants issued by the Prairie City Police Department. The warrants stem from an investigation in 2012 in which Herweh was charged with second-degree theft, unauthorized use of credit cards and identity theft. Herweh was in the custody of the Iowa Department Corrections at the time of the investigation and charges. He was taken to Jasper County Jail.
• Todd W. Phillips, 33, of Prairie City was charged with driving while license barred (habitual offender) and driving without insurance after authorities stopped him at 9:06 a.m. Wednesday after observing him driving and knowing he did not have a valid drivers license. His driving record confirmed his license was barred and suspended. He was placed in the Jasper County Jail.
• Hailey R. Vanderlinden, 22, of Urbandale was charged with operating while under intoxicated after authorities responded to a complaint of a possibly intoxicated driver at 12:32 a.m. June 3. Police located the vehicle and stopped it for a traffic violation. Officers determined that she was intoxicated after she failed sobriety tests. Vanderlinden submitted to a test on the Datamaster, which indicated her BAC was .239. Vanderlinden was placed in the Jasper County Jail.
• Kody D. Wilkie, 19, of Monroe was charged with driving while license suspended after authorities stopped him at 7:16 a.m. June 14 for a traffic violation. A check of his driving record showed his license was suspended. Wilkie was released to appear in court.
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.