Newton Police Department
• Nicholas E. Sullivan, 40, of Newton was charged with driving while license denied, suspended or revoked and eluding at 1:49 a.m. Nov. 7. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were on active patrol in the 1100 block of Highway 14 South when they arrived at the intersection of Highway 14 and South 12th Avenue West and observed a vehicle, identifying the driver by the license plate as Sullivan. Officers knew he had and active warrant for his arrest and a suspended license because the had run his information through the NCIC system earlier in the night. Police initiated their emergency lights and attempted to make a traffic stop. Sullivan failed to stop. Officers turned on their sirens and pursued the vehicle. Sullivan proceeded and was traveling at 80 miles per hours in a 55 mile per hour zone. He pulled away from the officers and the pursuit ended. At 10:45 p.m. Nov. 7, police located Sullivan at his residence. Officers interviewed Sullivan and he stated he ran because he was trying to prove a point and also admitted he believed he was guilty. He was arrested and taken to jail.
• Marlys R. Highland, 58, of Newton, was charged with operating under the influence first offense at 8:01 p.m. Nov. 4 in the 1300 block of South 12th Avenue West. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of West 19th Street South in reference to a potentially intoxicated person operating a vehicle. Dispatched advised officers a vehicle had been seen driving all over the road way and had entered and exited the ditch in front of Hardee’s. Upon arrival, police located the vehicle in the drive-up window at the restaurant. Police followed the vehicle onto South 12th Avenue West to the intersection with Highway 14. The vehicle proceeded eastbound through the intersection and accelerated to a speed of 32 miles per hour in 25 mph zone driving in the middle of the roadway. Officers initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Highland. She admitted to drinking at least a bottle of wine that day and advised she felt a little tipsy. Highland agreed to a standard field sobriety test and was unable to complete the horizontal gaze test and nystagmus test. She refused to do the walk and turn and one leg stand test. Highland provided a breath sample for the preliminary breath test which indicated a BrAC above .08. She submitted a sample to the datamaster which indicated a BrAC of .210. She was cited and released.
• Jazmine K. Chizek, 23, of Prairie City, was charged with simple assault at 7:10 p.m. Nov. 5 in the 1200 block of West Sixth Street South. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were dispatched in reference to an assault. Upon arrival, police found that Chizek put the victim in fear by placing her fist toward the victim’s face. She admitted she intended to scare the victim. A no contact order was requested by the victim. Chizek was cited and released.
• Jason T. Purtilo, 37, homeless, was charged with consumption in public places intoxication at 12:33 p.m. Nov. 6 and 12:15 p.m. Nov. 9 and with escape from custody — misdemeanant 12:39 p.m. Nov. 9. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were dispatched on Nov. 6 to Casey’s West for an intoxicated male. Police observed Purtilo laying beside the building sleeping. Officers could smell alcohol coming from his person. His speech was slurred and unintelligible and he would frequently yell for no reason. Purtilo could not stand without assistance and had watery eyes. He was not coherent and did not know where he was. He was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail. On Nov. 9, officers were dispatched to an alleyway in the 200 block of First Avenue West for an intoxicated male by a dumpster. Upon arrival, officers found Purtilo with an opened bottle of FireBall 1/4 empty. He had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his person. He had slurred speech, poor balance and watery, bloodshot eyes. Purtilo admitted to drinking the bottle of FireBall. He provided a breath sample with returned a BrAC of .350. He was placed under arrest and taken to the Newton Police Department. Purtilo was placed in one of the booking room for processing. Once the officer left the room for a brief moment, he exited the booking room and escaped out the back door of the police station. He was cited and released.
• Benjamin T. Gordon, 44, of Newton, was charged with false report — 911 call at 10:03 p.m. Nov. 6. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of South Fifth Avenue West in reference to a civil matter. Officers had advised Gordon not to contact dispatch via 911 unless he had an emergency. Gordon called 911 once police left to inform dispatch that officers were “retards and don’t know to do their jobs.” Gordon called 911 at least five times. He was arrested and taken to jail.
• Lindsay N. Wilson, 26, of Newton, was charged with fifth-degree theft at 12:51 p.m. Oct. 23 in the 1300 block of First Avenue West. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were called to WestEnd Sinclair gas stations in reference to a theft. Wilson could be seen on security footage placing candy and can of soda in her pocket and left the store without paying for it. The amount of merchandise taken totaled $2.80. On Oct. 31, officers spoke to Wilson over the phone and she admitted to taking the merchandise from the store. She was cited and released.
• Mason R. Brumer, 22, of Newton, was charged with operating under the influence first offense at 1:16 a.m. Oct. 30 in the 1600 block of First Street North. According to the Newton Police Department, officers conducted a traffic stop and identified Brumer as the driver. Officers observed he had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled of alcohol. Brumer admitted to drinking two beers. He completed the standard field sobriety tests and was determined to be impaired. Brumerhad a preliminary breath test of .129. Implied consent was invoked and the defendant provided a breath sample for the datamaster. He had a BrAC of .111. He was cited and released.
• Donald A. Sites, 52, of Newton was arrested from assault causing bodily injury or mental illness from an incident that occurred at 1:13 p.m. Sept. 10 in the 700 block of Second Avenue East. According to the Newton Police Department, Sites and the victim were in an argument at the Joy Apartments. The victim confronted Sites about a medical situation involving the victim’s daughter, having been told that Sites was possibly responsible for the medical situation. The victim admitted to hitting the door of the Sites’s apartment and yelling his name. He opened the door to find the victim in the hallway. Sites allegedly scratch the right arm of the victim and tore the victim’s shirt. Officers observed a large scratch on the victim’s right forearm and the torn shirt. A warrant was issued. Sites was arrested at 2:31 a.m. Nov. 3 after being located outside of Joy Apartments. He was taken to jail.
• Larry A. Ferguson, 32, of Newton, was arrested at 6:27 p.m. Nov. 2 at in the 400 block of North Second Avenue East on a warrant out of Denver, Colo., for failure to appear in court. He was taken to jail.
• Dezarae S. Berry, 21, of Des Moines, was arrested at 4:41 a.m. Nov. 4 during a traffic stop in the 300 block of South Eighth Avenue West on a Des Moines Police Department warrant for assault causing injury. She was taken to jail.