Rock Rapids, Iowa — A Rock Rapids man is scheduled to be arraigned after his initial appearance Thursday on felony OWI and other charges.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the Lyon County Clerk of Court’s Office by the county sheriff’s office, 34-year-old Paxter Medal of Rock Rapids is accused of driving drunk for the third time in a year, driving while barred, and driving while denied or revoked. He was arrested last month.
In his statement, the deputy says that during a traffic stop, Medal had red bloodshot watery eyes, slurred speech, and had the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his person. He says Medal had poor driving behaviors and was found to be in possession of an open container of beer in the car. He failed field sobriety testing and refused to submit to a preliminary breath test as well as a breath and urine test.
The deputy says that Medal is also barred from having a license, as a habitual offender. His license had been revoked for OWI test refusal and had been suspended and revoked for non-payment of Iowa fines and for convictions of driving while suspended, denied, canceled, or revoked. He also didn’t have SR-22 high-risk insurance, as he is required to have.
Medal was charged with third offense operating while intoxicated, a class D felony. If convicted, Medal could face up to five years in prison. He also faces misdemeanor charges of no insurance, driving while suspended, driving under suspension, open container of alcohol, operation without registration or plate, driving while denied or revoked, driving while barred, failure to yield on left turn, and operation without ignition interlock.
Medal faces arraignment on Monday, January 22nd.
After remaining in the Lyon County Jail in Rock Rapids for several days, as of Wednesday, Medal is free after posting a $500 bond.
