On behalf of J. Dean Keegan of J. Dean Keegan, Eric D. Tindal & Andrea Jaeger Attorneys At Lawposted in Drunk Driving on Thursday, March 21, 2019.
A 45-year-old Columbus Junction man is in serious trouble after a traffic violation stop. He now faces felony charges of operating while under the influence (OWI), control of a firearm by a felon, unlawful possession of prescription drugs, interference with official acts, theft in the fifth degree, driving while license denied or revoked and possession of drug paraphernalia. The OWI offense was his third. Having had two prior felony convictions, he was barred from legally possessing firearms.
Prior to the traffic stop leading to these charges, police received a call about a shoplifting at a nearby liquor store. They watched surveillance video there. Upon stopping the vehicle driven by the 45-year-old man, officers found pills, drug paraphernalia including pipes, two rifles with ammunition and multiple liquor bottles. The man matched the shoplifter officer viewed in the surveillance video and Johnson County Sheriff's Deputies took him into custody.
If convicted, the man will face 30 days to five years for the third OWI charge alone, as it becomes a class D felony. In addition to that, his driver's license will be suspended for six years, and any vehicle owned or driven by him will require an ignition interlock device. Add to that the plethora of additional charges incurred and he is likely facing a lengthy prison sentence and stiff fines.
Any Defendant faced with this many felony charges should not attempt to navigate the system without adequate legal representation. Contact a criminal attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.