March 19, 2024

Newton woman charged for false statements of kidnapping, assault

Man was jailed in September incident

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Three months after a Grinnell man was accused of kidnapping and strangling a Newton woman at a local hotel, the victim told police her statements were false.

The woman who made accusations of being kidnapped and assaulted in September, Stephanie L. Yoakum, 43, of Newton, is now facing a charge for false report of indictable offense, a serious misdemeanor.

Michael A. Darrow, 38, was charged Sept. 5 after police were called at about 1:30 a.m. to the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites, 1405 W. 19th St. S.

Yoakum told police on the day of the incident that Darrow held her against her will in the motel room, strangled her twice and physically restricted her from leaving when she attempted to escape.

According to a police report, Yoakum told police that Darrow said to her, “Scream one more time, and I’ll kill you.” Yoakum told police that Darrow took her cell phone and the motel room phone, according to police.

Yoakum also told police she was eventually able to leave the motel room, and she ran across Highway 14 to Casey’s General Store to report an assault and kidnapping. Darrow fled the scene but was later taken into custody.

Darrow faced charges for third-degree kidnapping, first-degree harassment, assault causing bodily injury and controlled substance violation.

Police were interviewing Yoakum for the case on Dec. 7, 2016. While under oath and after being read her Miranda rights, Yoakum told police that some statements in her previous voluntary statements on Sept. 5 were not true, a police report states.

Yoakum told police she had not been strangled by Darrow. She told police she was never in fear for her life or of Darrow doing something or hurting her, as she previously stated. She also told police she was not held against her will and she felt she could leave at any time.

Darrow’s charges were dismissed, and Yoakum was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail, where she posted a $1,000 bond Wednesday and was released.

If convicted, Yoakum could face up to a year in prison and be fined.

Darrow was sentenced for felony drug charges Jan. 9. He was sentenced to 25 years for possession with intent to deal methamphetamine and then sentenced to five years to serve consecutively for violation drug tax stamp.

Contact Kayla Langmaid at 641-792-3121 ext. 6513 or klangmaid@newtondailynews.com