Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
• Traffic
Kirsten Faye Koele, Sheldon, Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device.
Levi James Van Beek, Sanborn, Speeding.
Alejandro Bonilla, Sheldon, No Proof of Insurance.
Andrew August Sipila, St. Paul, Minn., Speeding.
Francisco Andres Felix, Hull, Speeding.
Ethan Todd Faust, Sutherland, Speeding.
Heather M. Kirby, Fort Calhoun, Neb., Speeding.
Francisco Javier Resendiz, Worthington, Minn., Speeding.
Moises Picado, Sheldon, No Valid Driver’s License.
James Robert Fitzgerald, Sheldon, Speeding.
Samantha Jo Unrau, Paullina, Speeding.
Lexa L. Wright, Lincoln, Neb., Speeding.
Jason Leonard Godsey, Sheldon, Registration Violation.
Cory Jungjohan, Spirit Lake, Speeding.
Jasmine Grace Mixon, Spencer, Failure to Obey Stop Sign.
Luz Mariamaria Ramirez, Sheldon, Failure to Use Traffic Child Restraint Device.
Willie Leon Conley, Jr., Paullina, Violation of Graduated Driver’s License.
Rachael Marion Tuttle, Granville, Speeding.
Nicholas R. Sampson, Sanborn, Speeding.
Virginia Candelaria Lopez, Sheldon, No Valid Driver’s License.
Horacio Zacarias Tema Aguilon, Mountain Lake, Minn., No Valid Driver’s License.
Alicia Ann Poduska, Hartley, Speeding.
Francisco Abel Espimo, Sheldon, No Valid Driver’s License.
Jesse Lee Freeman, Primghar, Speeding.
Willie Leon Conley, Jr, Paullina, No Proof of Insurance.
Ryan Edward Petzoldt, Merrill, Axle Weight Violation.
Jesse James Rozema, Ocheyedan, Seatbelt Violation.
Roxann Hoogland, Paullina, No Proof of Insurance.
Michelle Lynn Weppler, Sheldon, Speeding.
Kelli Rohwer, Sheldon, Speeding.
Joshua Sandven, Renner, S.D., Careless Driving.
Todd Curtis Myers, Sioux Rapids, Hunting Regulations Violation.
Lyle Evan Van Voorst, Hull, Speeding.
Lisa Rae Vande Kamp, Sioux Falls, S.D., Speeding.
Ryan Edward Sheahan, Roseville, Minn., Speeding.
Gary Lynn Hassebroek, Sheldon, Seatbelt Violation.
Mohamed Mohamed, Houston, Texas, Speeding.
John P. Burke, Omaha, Neb., Speeding.
Jana Lea Smith, Lawrence, Kan., Speeding.
Michael Dean Schneidermann, Sibley, Speeding.
Israel Audelio Morales Chavez, Sheldon, Driving While Suspended.
Veronica Martin Chavez, Orange City, Driving While Suspended.
Nicole Marie Philiph, Ocheyedan, Failure to Obey Stop Sign.
Francis M. Everetts, Cleghorn, Driving While Suspended.
• Non-traffic
Phillip Michael Sheffield, Sioux City, Felony.
Joshua E. Moore, Oelwein, Felony.
Jeremiah Jason Kahoe, Paullina, Felony.
Andrew James Sird, Sheldon, Simple Misdemeanor.
Israel Audelio Chavez Lopez, Sheldon, Simple Misdemeanor.
Danny Spillman, Sheldon, Simple Misdemeanor.
Ocean Marie Fisher, Sioux City, Serious Crime.
• Probate
Robert Richter, Deceased; Rita E. Richter, Executor.
• Births
Hayden Lee Sorgdrager, 9/2/22.
Jasper Ryan-Lee Mittura-Kimmel, 9/6/22.
Owen Fidelis Montgomery, 9/8/22.
• Marriage
Trenton Lee Schimmer and Natasha Lynn Webster.
• 5 adults, 1 juvenile arrested in Clay County
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigated a vehicle that was stopped on the side of the road and a person who was in a nearby ditch, at 9:04 p.m. on Sept. 14.
Upon contact with the occupants, the deputy smelled the odor of marijuana and alcoholic beverages coming from the vehicle. Open containers of beer were observed in the vehicle and in the ditch where a person was standing. A baggie of marijuana which was in the vehicle was retrieved.
Occupants of the vehicle allegedly were smoking marijuana and consuming alcohol, and had stopped to switch drivers. Tobacco products, open alcoholic beverage containers and drug paraphernalia were found during the search.
Six persons, all from Spencer, were taken into custody and transported to the Clay County jail. Jimmy Urbina, 19, and Maical Ponce-Urbina, 20, were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana, a serious misdemeanor, and Minor in Possession of Alcohol and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, simple misdemeanors. Winor Ponce-Urbina, 21, was charged with PCS-Marijuana, along with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Driver’s License, No Insurance and Open Container, all simple misdemeanors. They were held on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.
A 17-year-old juvenile male was cited into Magistrate Court for Minor in Possession of Tobacco and was cited into Juvenile Court for PCS-Marijuana, Minor in Possession of Alcohol and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was released to a responsible adult.
Justo Renan Ponce-Urbina, 19, was charged with Minor in Possession of Tobacco and Minor of Possession of Alcohol, and was released with a court date. Justo De Jesus Ponce-Urbina, 45, was charged with Open Container and was released with a court date.
The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Spencer Police Department.
• OWI arrest in Clay County
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an alleged intoxicated motorcycle driver on Sept. 16. A deputy initiated a traffic stop of the motorcycle at 1:04 a.m. in the 3700 mile of 190th Ave. Brian Booth, 49, of Spencer, who was allegedly consuming alcoholic beverages, was run through a series of field sobriety tests. Upon completion he was placed under arrest and transported to the Clay County jail.
Booth was charged with OWI-1st Offense and was held to appear before the magistrate.
• Fire destroys baler near May City
The May City Fire Department responded to a call on Sept. 13, for a baler which was on fire at 6610 240th Street, near May City.
By the time firemen arrived, the operator had put out most of the flames with a garden hose. No cause was given for the fire which totaled the baler.
The Ocheyedan and Melvin departments were paged but their assistance was not needed. Firemen were on the scene for about 30 minutes.
• Uninjured in accident
The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office investigated an accident that occurred at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 12. The report stated that Alexander James Billings, 14, of Hartley, was northbound on M12 and attempted to make a right turn onto 310th Street. He lost control of the 2005 Buick which went into the ditch and rolled on its top.
No injuries were reported. Damage to the Buick was estimated at $4,500. Billings was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.
• Semis collide on Highway 18
Two tractor/semi-trailers collided on Highway 18, at 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 12. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office reported that Keith Thompson, 29, of Hartley, was driving a 2006 Peterbilt eastbound in the 1800 mile of Highway 18 and crossed the centerline due to a mechanical failure. A 2000 Freightliner driven by Roger Wharton, 64, of Willmar, Minn., was westbound and attempted to enter the north ditch to avoid a collision. The semis collided as they entered the ditch, causing the Freightliner to tip onto its side.
No injuries were reported. Damage estimates were $65,000 for the Freightliner and $20,000 for the Peterbilt. The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement, Fostoria Fire/Rescue and Iowa Department of Transportation.
• Dump truck backs into vehicle
A dump truck backed into another vehicle at the intersection of Iowa 143 and Highway 10, at 4:20 p.m. on Sept. 16.
The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office reported Byron Daniel Miller, 60, of Marcus, was driving a 2007 Mack semi dump truck pulling a pup dump trailer southbound on Nettle Avenue. He stopped for a stop sign where there was construction in his lane across Highway 10 and the eastbound lane, west of the intersection. As a semi attempted to turn right onto Nettle Avenue, Miller checked his mirror and attempted to back up in order to provide room for the semi. He failed to see a 2020 Honda Pilot driven by Neil Marvin Johnson, 74, of Paullina, and the dump truck struck the trailing vehicle.
Neither driver was injured. Damage estimates were $6,000 for the Pilot and $500 for the dump truck.
• Trailer totaled in collision
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigated an accident which occurred at the intersection of 310th Avenue and 430th Street, at 9:41 a.m. on Sept. 14.
The report stated that a 2013 Dodge Ram driven by Douglas Seltz, 68, of Clare, failed to yield to a 2017 Ford Transit T-150 driven by Chris Pruitt, 25, of Spencer. The Transit collided with the homemade trailer pulled by the Ram.
Pruitt suffered minor injuries. Damage to the Transit owned by Safelite Auto Glass was estimated at $4,000. The homemade trailer was totaled. Seltz was cited for Failure to Yield Right of Way.
