Compiled by Andrew Brink andrew@dmcityview.com

On the clock
Des Moines Police — May 14

3:27 p.m.
Burglary in the 100 block of Loomis Avenue. The victim left her home at 2 p.m. When she returned at approximately 2:55 p.m., she found the screen on the front door slightly ajar and her clothing scattered across her bedroom. Four hundred dollars in cash, kept inside a sock in her top dresser drawer, was missing.

4:30 p.m.
Burglary at Promotions Ltd., 541 31st St. An employee of Promotions Ltd. says that she left her office for two hours, locking the main entrance door but failing to lock a hallway door that could be accessed by anyone walking into the business. When she returned, she discovered cash ($572) and checks (total amount unknown) missing from her desk. The money had been concealed in a folded piece of paper. No other areas of the office appeared to have been disturbed. There were no suspects at the time of report.

11:26 p.m.
Assault with injury in the 900 block of College Avenue. Two men — Tom and Bill [actual names withheld] — were drinking on a porch when Tom made a joke. Bill got upset and shoved Tom, causing him to fall and hurt his left knee, which became swollen. Bill momentarily left the scene but returned and started punching Tom, causing: a swollen left eye, a bloody nose, a cut lower lip and a swollen right cheek. Tom ran from Bill and fell, causing him to cut his left shin. Officers took photos of Tom’s injuries. The police report notes that Bill, whose last name was unknown, might possibly have been on crack.

BUSTED

Name: Margaret Fay Cunningham
The story: In December 2006, an employee of Linn’s Supermarket, 3805 6th Ave., observed Cunningham select three steaks and conceal them in her purse and coat. The employee confronted Cunningham and she removed one steak from her coat and another from her purse. Cunningham attempted to leave with the third steak, at which time a fight began between her, the employee and two customers. The employee sprayed her with mace but she got away. On May 9, Des Moines Police escorted Cunningham to Polk County Jail from Linn County Jail, where she was being detained. She is being held for second-degree robbery, with bail set at $13,000.

6,236 : the number of individuals registered with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry as of April 30.

DOCKET DIVING

The following is from a recent ruling made by the Iowa Court of Appeals regarding the case of the State of Iowa vs. Charles Kenneth Poling:

Charles K. Poling appeals his conviction for operating while intoxicated (OWI), second offense. He claims the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress, arguing the stop of his vehicle was illegal. We affirm [the conviction].

On Jan. 1, 2005, at about 5:30 [a.m.], Lieutenant Mark Dalsing of the Dubuque Police Department stopped Poling for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Dalsing checked the status of Poling’s driver’s license and verified he had a valid license. After a brief conversation, Lieutenant Dalsing allowed Poling to proceed on his way. When Poling left the parking lot, Dalsing observed Poling again go the wrong way on the one-way street. Accordingly, Dalsing directed his back-up officers, McTague and Ryan, to again stop Poling. Poling only drove about a half block out of the parking lot before Officers McTague and Ryan stopped him a second time. After the second stop, Officer Ryan formed the opinion that Poling was under the influence of alcohol. Poling failed the field sobriety tests and was arrested for operating while intoxicated. A breath test at the police station revealed an alcohol concentration of .242.

The State charged Poling, by trial information, with OWI, second offense, in violation of Iowa Code sections 321J.2(1) and 321J.2(2) (2005). Poling filed a motion to suppress, contending the second stop of his vehicle was without reasonable suspicion, was thus illegal and all evidence obtained as a result of the stop should therefore be suppressed. The district court held a hearing on the motion and denied the motion. The court determined that although there was some variation in the officers’ exact testimony concerning where they saw Poling and how he was stopped, “Lieutenant Dalsing testified clearly that [Poling], after receiving a warning concerning his failure to drive in the proper direction on a one-way street, repeated his conduct when he left the site of the first stop.” Thus, the district court concluded the State met its burden to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that reasonable cause existed for the stop.

Poling was later convicted, following a non-jury trial on stipulated evidence, of OWI second offense. He was sentenced to a two-year prison term with all but 14 days suspended.

Missing

Name: Emily C. Floyd
Age at time of report: 15
Age now: 15
Weight: 125 lbs.
Height: 5’ 8”
Race: White
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Sex: Female

Emily C. Floyd was reported missing to the Clive Police Department on May 3.

If you have information regarding the disappearance of this individual, please contact the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at (800) 346-5507.

If you recognize this missing person, do not take any action yourself. Get as much information as you can (e.g., exact location of sighting) and then call the number listed above.

From the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Web site: http://www.iowaonline.state.ia.us/mpic/

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