Newton Police Department
• Melissa A. Brown, 35, of Newton was charged with driving while license suspended after authorities stopped her at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday in the 3400 block of North Fourth Avenue East. She was charged and released to appear.
• Natasha Cooper, 26, of Newton was arrested on a Jasper County warrant for drug-related charges after authorities located her at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday at 315 E. 15th St. N. She was taken to jail.
• Timothy J. Cottrell, 49, of Newton was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended and failure to have financial liability coverage after authorities stopped him at 12:18 a.m. Oct. 22 in the 300 block of Highway 14 North for an equipment violation. Cottrell was arrested for not having a valid driver’s license. During a search of Cottrell’s vehicle, police found a small baggie containing a white substance in his wallet. Cottrell indicated the substance was cocaine. Authorities also found a scale with white residue that tested positive for methamphetamine. Cottrell was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• Timothy R. Edwards, 58, of Newton was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, second offense, after authorities stopped him 2:46 p.m. Wednesday in the 1700 block of First Avenue East after receiving a complaint of a possibly intoxicated driver from an off-duty Iowa State Patrol trooper. Edwards failed sobriety maneuvers, and an open container of alcohol was found in the vehicle. He was charged with OWI, cited for open container and released to appear in court.
• Teresa A. Etter, 50, of Newton was cited with following too close after authorities responded to a two-vehicle accident at 2:34 p.m. Oct. 22. Etter was traveling north on Iowa Speedway Drive when her vehicle struck the rear of a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Newton resident Robbin L. Cline, who had slowed to turn left on South 13th Avenue East. Both Etter and Cline were transported to Skiff Medical Center to be treated for injuries. Etter’s vehicle sustained an estimated $2,500 damage and Cline’s an estimated $4,200 damage.
• Julie L. Gragen, 31, of Des Moines was charged with possession of stolen property, a Class D felony, after authorities assisted a Jasper County conservation officer on a traffic stop at 7:04 p.m. Oct. 10 in the 3100 block of South Ninth Avenue West. Gragen was charged for allegedly being in possession of a computer and TV that were reported stolen at the Walmart in Coralville. The items had a total value of $1,056. She was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
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.