POLICE BLOTTER: 'Drunk' Woman Lost and Scared, While Allegedly Drunk Man Takes Refuge in a Stranger's Truck

Editor's Note: All information below is provided by police in incident reports and reflects when the incident occurred, not when an arrest or charges were filed. Charges do not always result in convictions.

‘Scared and Lost,’ Woman Charged With Public Intoxication
Savannah Rudy Devaine, 24, of Lamoni was charged with public intoxication Jan. 29 after police were sent to the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel, 1800 S. 50th St., after hotel personnel reported an intoxicated woman who claimed to be stranded, but was uncooperative.

In his report, West Des Moines Police Officer Aaron Swenson said Devaine told him she was “scared and llost.” Her appearance was “a mess” and that she had “makeup all over her face, her shirt looked ripped as her breasts were hanging out of her shirt, and her hair was tangled in all different directions.”

Swenson said Devaine told him that she was staying at the Sheraton because she lived three states away, but upon further questioning, she admitted she lived in Lamoni. She was not a registered guest at the hotel, according to the report.

She reportedly acknowledged to police that she had consumed too much alcohol to safely drive. When she was unable to find a sober ride, Swenson arrested her for public intoxication.

Couple Finds Intoxicated Stranger Groaning in Their Car
Matthew Mark Pimentel, 33, of Grover Beach, CA, was charged with public intoxication at 10:30 p.m. Jan. 27, after he allegedly entered a car that did not belong to him parked at 5515 Mills Civic Pkwy.

The caller and owner of the vehicle told police the man was hunched over in the front passenger seat and was groaning. Police Officer Matthew Granzow met with the vehicle’s owners, Robert and Lyn Wollums.

They said that when they returned to their vehicle, a red 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche, they discovered the man, who they thought had broken into the vehicle and was either trying to steal it or items in it.

When Granzow aproached the vehicle, he observed that the man’s belt was undone and his pants were unbuttoned. When he asked the man to et out of the vehicle, he was “moving very slow and not obeying my commands.”

“Pimentel told me multiple times not to be so aggressive,” Granzow wrote in his report. “I instructed Pimentel many times to exit the vehicle. Finally, officers had to assist Pimentel out of the vehicle and he was detained.”

Police said there were no signs that he had attempted to steal anything. He told police he had been walking and was cold, but declined to tell them where he had been drinking and who he had been with. His blood alcohol level was .222 in a preliminary breath test.

He was taken to the Polk County Jail.

Hacker Uses Keystroke Logger to Gain Access to Bank Account
Michael Joseph Schroeder, chief financial officer at Architectural Wall Systems, 6601 Westown Pkwy, reported to police that someone had used a key logger to hack his keystrokes and access the passwords of the company bank account.

Schroeder called the company’s bank, First National Bank of Omaha, when he discovered unauthorized transactions on Jan. 24 and Jan. 26 for withdrawals of $8,369.21 and $8,218.28, respectively.

According to Officer Jason Lichty, the bank was able to research Schroeder’s usage history and found logins around 8 a.m. every day for about five to 10 minutes. He confirmed that he was the one logging in to check the accounts during that time, but the bank also detected several attempts at logins and activity at other times of the day.

Money wasn’t withdrawn until Jan. 24 and Jan. 26.

Police have recovered the email address used in the fraudulent log-ins, and they have told Schroeder not to use his laptop until he hears back from police.

Police Called After Student Allegedly Assaults Administrators
A 14-year-old Stilwell Junior High student was charged with disorderly conduct, fighting and violent behavior after allegedly assaulting officials at the school, located at 1601 Vine St., on Jan. 26.

The school official said the altercation began about 2 p.m. after Assistant Principal Mitch Kuhnert denied the student access to the school computer. According to the report filed by Officer Jeff Lyon, the student “began to throw things in his classroom and force the other students to clear the room.”

While Kuhnert was escorting he student to the office, “he again began to damage property in the school and took a closed-fist swing” at another school member and attempted to throw items at Kuhnert.

Kuhnert told police it was at this time that he physically restrained the student, to stop him from hurting himself or others. Kuhnert said the student repeatedly kicked him in the legs, causing discomfort.

The student was released to the custody of his father.

Also on the police blotter:
Jan. 30
Police are investigating a home burglary at 2415 Woodland Ave. Owner Hou Chu discovered the theft about 3:45 p.m. Monday. About $1,700 in electronic equipment and $2,500 in jewelry were stolen, and a window and door sustained about $300 damage.

Jan. 29
Three 17-year-old Valley High School students face drug-related charges after police noticed a license plate light was burned out and stopped a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer northbound in the 900 block of S. 50th St. Officer Aaron Swenson said in his report that he could smell the strong odor of marijuana. A search of the vehicle uncovered two multicolored glass pipes with marijuana residue, about 36 grams of a substance believed to be marijuana, a bottle of vodka, a bottle of Captain Morgan rum and a bottle of Jagermeister scotch. The driver of the vehicle was charged with first-offense drunken driving. Other alcohol and drug-related charges are pending against all three.

Katherine Frances Braun, 22, of 908 E. 17th St., Norwalk, was charged with first-offense drunken driving and possession of a controlled substance after police stopped her vehicle at 7000 Vista Drive. She was released from the West Des Moines Jail into the custody of her boyfriend.

Renicka Deshay Carter, 22, of 1410 20th St., was charged with assaulting a peace officer and interference with official acts after police were called to her home to investigate multiple complaints of a possible domestic assault. Carter was crying when police arrived, but was uncooperative. Officer Anthony Giampolo alleged in his report that Carter pushed the door hard on his ankle as he attempted to leave and caught his right foot and heel in the door jam. Once in custody, she told police that the injuries she had sustained had been caused by police, not by someone in the apartment. Before she was booked at the Polk County Jail, Carter was transported to Broadlawns Medical Center for treatment of her injuries, which included some swelling on her forehead. Police also noted dried blood in her ear and some scratches on her back.

Jan. 28
Police are continuing their investigation of vandalism to a 2002 black Volvo owned by Perminus Thiru Mungai, 23, of 2124 Grand Ave. He reported to police that his girlfriend had been upset with him and called late in the evening “asking him how he liked his car,” according to Officer Ryan Purdy’s report. When he went to the parking lot of the apartment comples, he found that scratches had been made on the trunk, causing about $400 damage. Mungai told police this was not the first time his girlfriend had damaged his car, according to the report.

Christopher Jon Comes, 35, of 2199 N.W. 141st St., Clive, was charged with multiple offenses, including third-offense drunken driving, after police stopped him in the 5100 block of Mills Civic Parkway. He also faces charges of driving while his license was revoked, possession of stolen property and operation with expired registration. He also was arrested on an outstanding Polk County warrant, and was booked in the Polk County Jail.

Perry Thompson III, 27, of 4501 Pleasant St., was charged with first-offense drunken driving after police stopped his vehicle near the intersection of 60th Street and Dakota Drive. He was taken to the Polk County Jail and booked.

Jonathan Andrew Richman, 24, of 4220 Commerce Drive, was charged with first-offense drunken driving and speeding after police stopped his vehicle at 1500 S. 50th St. He was released to the custody of his uncle.

Jan. 27
A 15-year-old student at Valley High School, 3650 Woodland Ave., was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance after school authorities witnessed a possible drug transaction had taken place in the school cafeteria.

Sharma Ancht, 30, of 6440 E.P. True Pkwy., was charged with first-offense drunken driving after police stopped him for speeding at 200 Prairie View Drive.

Brett Alan Sickels, 42, of Osceola, was charged with second-offense drunken driving, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after police stopped him for speeding at 1910 Ashworth Road.