Compiled by Jared Curtis jared@dmcityview.com

On the Clock
Des Moines Police — Aug. 14-18

Aug. 14, 1 a.m.
Assault in the 500 block of 5th Avenue. An officer was dispatched to the scene and upon arrival met with the male victim, who reported he was walking home when he saw four juvenile black males in the 800 block of Grand Avenue. The victim stated the males began to follow him and he started to walk faster when the suspects began yelling obscenities at him. In the 700 block of Grand Avenue, the tallest of the four suspects punched the victim in the face. He did not fight back and continued to walk home, upon which the suspects continued to follow. The victim looked to see where the suspects were walking to notify police, when the suspects saw him looking at them and they approached once again. The suspects then asked for cigarettes. The tallest suspect stated he would kill him the next time he saw him. The responding officer checked the area but was unable to locate the suspects.

Aug. 14, 1:35 a.m.
Simple assault in the 200 block of 3rd Street. The victim stated that while drinking at Tequila Tom’s, the bartender announced last call. He was finishing his beer, when an unknown white male in his 20s, reached and tried to take his cup. The victim threw the cup of beer at the suspect, at which time the suspect punched him, knocking him down. The suspect ran off only to return and take the victims mesh trucker hat. Someone at the bar told the victim that the suspect’s name was “Pete” and that he was a cage fighter with the alias of “Crush.” He was also told he could look the suspect up on “MySpace.” The victim refused medical attention.

Aug. 18, 12:38 a.m.
Burglary in the 1000 block of East Army Post Road. Officers were dispatched to the Appliance and Furniture Rentall in reference to a silent alarm. Upon arrival to Rentall, the officer found a window broken with two rocks, one inside the store and one outside by the broken window. After continuing to walk north the officer found a trail that runs behind some apartments on Cumming Road. On the trail, the officer found a purple stocking hat with two eyes and a mouth cut out. No cash was removed from the register and no other valuable items appeared to be missing. The manager stated their were 25 pieces of jewelery missing, valued at $2,711. The business has no surveillance cameras and there were no suspects at this time.

Busted

Name: Bradford Richard Olsen
The Story: West Des Moines Police were dispatched to the Hy-Vee, located at 1725 Jordan Creek Pkwy., about a male adult shoplifter. The pharmacy manager told police that on several occasions the customer would get prescriptions and exit the store through the liquor department without paying. An assistant manager asked a Hy-Vee employee to change into plain cloths and follow the customer. The employee began following the suspect, later identified as Brad Olsen, a West Des Moines City Councilman. The employee said Olsen picked up some groceries before picking up his prescriptions. After obtaining the prescriptions, Olsen went into the liquor store. While in the liquor store, Olsen took the bottles of prescriptions out of the pharmacy bag and placed them in his front pocket. Olsen paid for his groceries and walked out without paying for the prescriptions. At that time, the assistant manager asked Olsen to come back into the store. Olsen identified himself and was placed under arrest for theft in the 4th degree. Olsen was taken to the West Des Moines Police Department, identified and released with a citation.

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. David Loren Boll.

“A jury found Boll guilty of possession of ethyl ether with intent to use the product to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of anhydrous ammonia with intent to use the product to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of lithium with intent to use the product to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to use the product to manufacture methamphetamine, unlawful possession or transportation of anhydrous ammonia, possession of methamphetamine and interference with official acts.

“On appeal, Boll argues through appellate counsel that the district court should not have allowed the testimony of a State witness who was not identified until ‘the trial was well underway.’ Officers conducting surveillance of the ditch in which the drug-related items were found observed bursts of light in the darkness. As the light drew closer, they heard a person approaching. The person, later identified as Boll, entered the ditch and headed to the items that were discovered earlier. Boll came out of the ditch wearing black chemical gloves and holding a bag. The officers turned on their flashlights and identified themselves. Boll fled, but was soon apprehended. Officers went to the house in which Boll lived with his parents. During a consensual search of the home, they discovered a coffee filter with a white powder residue in Boll’s bedroom. In the garage, officers discovered several feet of plastic tubing, a cooler, glassware, a razor, plastic baggies, an aqua pump, a Coleman fuel can, a coffee pot, a two-liter pop bottle with tubing coming out of a hole in the top, a coffee grinder with white powdery residue, a one-pound container of salt, a one-gallon milk jug containing camping fuel and water, burnt tin foil, and the byproducts of methamphetamine manufacturing. There was testimony about the steps for manufacturing methamphetamine using the anhydrous ammonia and lithium metal method and testimony that the items found in the ditch and the garage could, together, be used to complete the manufacturing process. In light of this overwhelming evidence, we conclude Boll could not prove his ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims. We decline to consider the additional issues raised in the reply briefs.”

Most Wanted

Name: Carl Schmelzel
Age: 48
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 280 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown

Wanted for: Bond violation in connection with drug charges.

Schmelzel is wanted by the U.S. Marshall’s Service. If you know where to find this fugitive, call Crime Stoppers at 223-1400.

784 : The number of female prison inmates in Iowa.

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