March 19, 2024

Police blotter

Newton Police Department

• Randy L. Ray, 60, of Newton, was charged with assault causing bodily injury or mental illness at 1 a.m. July 1. Police were called to The Manhattan in reference to a fight in progress. Police made contact with Ray who was walking southbound on East Second Street South from The Manhattan. The victim told police Ray shoved him and then he fell and injured his shoulder. The victim was transported to Skiff Medical Center with a dislocated shoulder. Ray told police the victim “came at him,” and he moved out of the way. Ray was released and issued a citation to appear in court. Ray was arrested Aug. 11 on a warrant and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• David L. McConnell Jr., 23, address unknown, was charged with fourth-degree theft for an incident that occurred in September 2016. Police were investigating a burglary of a storage unit of Integrity Cleaners. The stolen items were found to be for sale online. During a meeting with McConnell, police recovered several items, totaling $383. McConnell told police he got the items from a man. McConnell was arrest Aug. 12 on a warrant for the theft and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Jorja M. McDermott, 18, of Newton, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of controlled substance, first offense at 5:37 p.m. Aug. 9 after police stopped a vehicle for not making a complete stop at a stop sign on West Fourth Street and South 15th Avenue West. Officers stopped the car in the 2300 block of West 15th Street South. When officers smelled the odor of marijuana, they found out McDermott and a juvenile passenger were both smoking marijuana out of a glass pipe prior to stopping them. The marijuana weighed .4 grams. McDermott was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail.