Colfax man sentenced to 5 years for intimidation with weapon, armed with intent

The Colfax man who was found guilty last month of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent — though he claimed he was standing his ground when he fired a .45-caliber pistol at another man who entered his driveway — was sentenced to five years in prison this past week.

Norman Hopkins was officially sentenced on Aug. 4 by Judge Terry Rickers. His four-day jury trial had concluded in July. Hopkins received a five-year sentence for each charge, which are both considered Class D felonies, but they were to run concurrently. If they ran consecutively, it would have extended to 10 years.

According to court documents obtained by Newton News, the intimidation with a dangerous weapon conviction requires Hopkins to carry out a mandatory sentence of five years without parole. The court decided to waive the mandatory minimum sentence due to it being Hopkin’s first offense.

The court also found that sufficient mitigating circumstances exist for Hopkins and that he has no prior criminal record and is an honorably discharged Vietnam War veteran. The State of Iowa, represented by Jasper County Attorney Scott Nicholson, did not resist the waiver of the mandatory minimum sentence.

Hopkins will carry out his sentence at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center. His sentence may be reduced from the maximum because of statutory earned time, work credits and program credits. He may be eligible for parole before the sentence is discharged, subject to restrictions.

Also, Hopkins was fined a total of $2,050.

Hopkins was found guilty of displaying a dangerous weapon in a threatening manner during an altercation with Ryan Doty, of Altoona, back on June 5, 2024. The incident saw both men arrested and charged. Hopkins was also charged with two counts of assault but was found not guilty of those offenses.

Newton News previously reported that at about 4:50 p.m. June 5, 2024, the sheriff’s office received a call about gunshots fired at an individual during a domestic altercation. Hopkins fired several rounds from his Glock pistol at Doty, who arrived to the residence in a blue Ford truck.

Hopkins claimed he was acting in self-defense. In Iowa, individuals are justified in using reasonable force when a a person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to defend oneself or another from any actual or imminent use of unlawful force. However, the state argued he was not acting in self-defense.

Doty had made threats to the mother of his children, who happened to be staying with her mother and step-father, Hopkins, at the time. Doty eventually entered the property driving his truck, but he was not justified in doing so since there was a no-contact order placed against him.

Local authorities charged Doty with two counts of violation of a no-contact order at the time of the incident, which are simple misdemeanors. He was also charged with an arrest warrant for first-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor. The state claimed Hopkins knew or should have known Doty would be arriving.

Jasper County Attorney Scott Nicholson argued that when Doty appeared on the property, Hopkins was standing at the top of the long driveway. The state said Hopkins started firing his weapon into Doty’s truck. Two shots pierced the windshield on the driver’s side. Doty slammed on the brakes and ducked down.

Doty shifted the truck in reverse and used his backup camera to try and navigate his way down the driveway. He missed a curve in the driveway and high centered his truck in a bed of rocks near a drainage ditch. The state argued Hopkins continued to walk down the driveway, firing the gun at Doty and his truck.

Unable to move his truck, Doty flees the scene on foot along a gravel road to get away from Hopkins. The state argued Hopkins continued to walk all the way to the truck and fire rounds toward Doty. Hopkins claimed in the trial he was standing his ground and defending himself and his family, justifying his actions.

However, the state argued Doty never even got out of the truck and questioned how Hopkins could assess the threat if he never exited the vehicle.