Multiple arrests made after reports of erratic driving

MT. PLEASANT — Henry County law enforcement stayed busy last Sunday, May 26 with multiple traffic violations and arrests.

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Separate reports of two different erratic drivers led to the arrest of one Mt. Pleasant man for a second Driving Under the Influence charge and two arrests for charges of theft in another incident.

Sunday evening Henry County Sheriff’s Office received a driving complaint from Louisa County Sheriff’s Office of a gray Jeep Wrangler driving “all over the roadway” toward Henry County.

Just after 8 p.m. Henry County Deputy Logan Bass located the vehicle traveling southbound within the 1800-grid of Highway 218 swerving in and out of its lane of travel. Bass conducted a traffic stop of vehicle operator Miguel Jaimes, 59 of Mt. Pleasant. From Bass’s Standardized Field Sobriety Test, Jaimes was arrested on charges of Operating While Under the Influence, second offense. He also received citations for Open Container and No Valid Driver’s License.

Not long after this incident the sheriff’s office received a complaint of a gray sedan driving erratically, speeding up, slowing down, and running into the shoulder northbound nearly mile marker 39 also on Highway 218.

This traffic stop consisted of more than just erratic driving, however.

Henry County Deputy Brent Roth stated he located the vehicle at mile marker 42 traveling 53 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone. Upon running the plates, Roth determined the vehicle had been reported stole from Mt. Pleasant at 5 a.m. that day. After following the vehicle which continued to cross multiple lanes of traffic and down the center of the roadway, Roth conducted a traffic stop.

The driver, Trystine Pace, 17 of Winfield, was charged with Theft in the second degree, Driving Under Suspension, and Failure to Maintain Control. An investigation into Operating While Impaired continues in relation to this incident.

Further investigation into this incident resulted in Henry County Attorney Darin Ross filing charges of Theft in the second degree against Ashley Kunz, 20 of Mt. Pleasant.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Henry County Deputy Chantz Vargus, Kunz initially took the keys for the stolen vehicle from a friend and gave them to Pace.

“The defendant admitted to taking possession of the victim's keys and vehicle but claimed that she had permission to use the victim's vehicle,” Vargus stated in the complaint filed with the court. “The victim did not give the defendant permission to take her vehicle.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com