Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
• Traffic
Dax Alan DeGroot, George, Seatbelt Violation.
Chelsea Marie Hakeneis, Sheldon, Registration Violation; No Proof of Insurance.
Kaitlyn Jordan Harms, Ocheyedan, Speeding.
Drew Michael Haack, Hospers, SMV Signage Violation.
Brian Junior Thorstenson, Hayfield, Minn., Speeding.
Marie Caroline Rohrs, Sanborn, Speeding.
Renae A. Vande Brake, Sheldon, Registration Violation.
Jeremy Sean Taylor, Spartanburg, S.C., Dark Windows.
Benjamin Ryan Messbarger, Omaha, Neb., Speeding.
Sabrina Michelle Nettleton, Sergeant Bluff, Speeding.
Kevin Ayala, South Sioux City, Neb., Speeding.
Bailie Rose Sandbulte, Hull, Registration Violation.
Annette M. Holloway, Omaha, Neb., Speeding.
Cordell Gail Tesch, Granville, Seatbelt Violation.
Dillon R. Delaney, Neligh, Neb., Speeding.
Christopher John Pratt, Superior, No Proof of Insurance.
Charles Joseph Beckius, Corona, Calif., Speeding.
Bulmaro Quistian Macareno, Tahlequah, Okla., Speeding.
Samuel Chase Lode, Sheldon, Speeding.
John William Griffioen, Sioux Center, Speeding.
Jason Lee Hengeveld, Sheldon, Seatbelt Violation.
Joseph Charles McElroy, Ocheyedan, Axle Weight Violation, 3 counts.
Scott R. Campau, Omaha, Neb., Speeding.
Cassandra Pfeiffer, Rushmore, Minn., Registration Violation.
Michael William Olberding, Manilla, Safety Regulations Violation.
Debora Kay Seaman, Sheldon, Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device.
Jason B. Wolff, Blair, Neb., Speeding.
Daniel Allen Schmit, Omaha, Neb., Dark Windows.
Chad Thomas Frank, Sutherland, Seatbelt Violation.
Brianna Nicole James, New Prague, Minn., Speeding.
Robert D. Kreikemeier, Fremont, Neb., Speeding.
Dennis Milo Koob, Granville, Speeding.
Joshua Robert Meis, Elkhorn, Neb., Speeding.
Judy Ellen DeBoer, Rock Rapids, Failure to Obey Stop Sign.
Erick Rosales Ruiz, Sheldon, Illegal Pass of School Bus.
• Non-traffic
Roy Carl Persson, Sheldon, Serious Crime.
• Probate
Darcie A. Waymont, Deceased; Nancy J. Harrington, Executor.
• Dissolution
Sherri Ann Oldenberg and Michael Larry Oldenberg.
• Births
Chloe Nicole Petersen, 7/19/22.
Cash Michael Haack, 7/7/22.
• Drug charges filed after arrest near Hartley
The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office filed a criminal complaint following the arrest of Gary McConnell, 51, of Sibley.
According to the report, McConnell was stopped in the early morning hours, on Highway 18 near Hartley, for a traffic violation. The deputy’s K-9 gave a positive alert on the vehicle, and approximately four grams of methamphetamine were found.
Records indicate McConnell has been arrested three other times for drug charges, including twice in Lyon County and once in Clay County. As a result, the most-recent charge against him is a Class D felony. If convicted, McConnell could serve up to five years in prison plus fines, surcharges and court costs.
McConnell posted bond and was released from the O’Brien County jail.
• Pleads guilty to illegal possession of firearm
Jon Ripka, 34, of Hartley, pled guilty on Aug. 1 to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, Ripka had been convicted in 2017 in the Iowa District Court for Emmet County for Failure to Affix a Drug Stamp. The conviction prohibits a person from possessing a firearm.
The current case stems from an incident on Dec. 22, 2021, when Ripka was stopped by law enforcement for driving a vehicle without any license plates. Authorities observed that Ripka displayed signs of impairment. A K-9 deployed on the exterior of the vehicle indicated the presence of controlled substances within, at which time Ripka stated there was a firearm in the vehicle and acknowledged he was a felon. A .380 handgun was found in the driver’s door of the vehicle. A pack of cigarettes was later discovered wedged between the seats of the arresting officer’s vehicle which contained one gram of methamphetamine.
Sentencing of Ripka before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ripka remains in custody of the United States Marshal. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, and was investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
• Moped driver dies following accident
Noah Carter Monroe, 15, of Ashton, died as a result of injuries sustained in an accident that occurred north of Sheldon at 12:32 p.m. on Aug. 3.
The Iowa State Patrol reported that Monroe was driving a 2018 Honda moped westbound on 280th Street when he entered an intersection and struck a 2016 Hyundai Elantra driven by Bonnie Jean Allison, 71 of Spencer, which was southbound on Highway 60. The moped came to rest in the intersection and the Hyundai stopped 300 feet to the south.
Monroe was transported to Sheldon Sanford Medical Center by Sheldon EMS with life-threating injuries. He later died from those injuries. Allison was not injured.
According to Iowa State Patrol, the incident remains under investigation.
• Storm Lake man killed in weekend accident
Mark Stanley Kirkholm, 66, of Storm Lake, died at the scene of an accident which occurred east of Primghar at 1:58 p.m. on Aug. 6.
The Iowa State Patrol report states that a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Laurie Ann Banks, 56, of Sutherland, was northbound on Taft Avenue and failed to stop at a stop sign. Her vehicle struck a 2020 Ford Escape driven by Kirkholm, which was westbound on 390th Street/B40. The Escape entered the ditch and rolled at least once, and Kirkholm was partially ejected.
Kirkholm was pronounced dead at the scene. The report stated he was not wearing a seatbelt. Banks was transported to Primghar MercyOne Medical Center by Primghar EMS. No information about her injuries was reported.
