On Monday, March 12th, 47-year-old Joseph Wayne Ingham was sentenced to serve 5 days in jail on an amended charge of 1st offense OWI, and a child endangerment charge was dismissed as part of a negotiated voluntary plea of guilty to the lesser amended offense.
The charges stemmed from a traffic stop conducted by the Iowa State Patrol in Cerro Gordo County on the evening of November 16th, 2010. As a result of the traffic stop Ingham was arrested and charged with 2nd offense OWI and an aggravated misdemeanor count of child endangerment.
Court records show a week before a scheduled trial in Cerro Gordo County District Court a plea change hearing was set for March 12th. Senior Judge Carlynn D. Grupp presided over that hearing on Monday and approved an application to amend the 2nd offense OWI Charge to 1st Offense OWI and dismiss the child endangerment charge. Judge Grupp then sentenced Ingham to serve 5 days in jail and imposed the mandatory minimum fines set by the state legislature for 1st offense OWI.
Court records show Ingham was found guilty of another 1st offense OWI in June of 2000 related to a traffic stop by a Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Deputy. In Iowa a defendant must go at least 12 years between offenses not to be charged with a consecutive offense, or as shown in this case have it amended to a lesser offense by the courts.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
15 thoughts on “Child endangerment charge dismissed in OWI plea bargain”
Didn’t The Globe do a big article about this judges retirement, last year??
I think she’s still working part time to fill in where needed.
This is my step dad he is a loving man with his children he owns more land then all of u put together he dont get food stamps blah blah blah he is a farmer n errybody makes mistakes..DONT JUDGE
UNLESS YOUR HANDS ARE CLEAN!
LMAO “Randi Axelsen” defending a criminal. If snorting meth was an Olympic sport she would have a gold, silver, and bronze medal all from the same competition.
Unfortunately, this is not a rare case. It is very common to dismiss the child endangerment charge for a guilty plea to OWI. They usually have to go to a class or something. If the general public was aware of all plea bargains they would lose all faith in our system. It just seems to be a matter of how cases are dealt with because of the extremely high case load. Do I agree with it absolutely not!!!
I’m all too aware of the plea bargains. It’s a good thing the cops throw the book at them to begin with so they end up getting found guilty of even 1 thing. I just read where the 3rd guy from NC charged in the Manly sexual abuse case pleaded out to a misdemeanor assault with intent to commit sexual abuse in order to avoid being found guilty by a judge or jury of 3rd degree sexual abuse like the other 2 were. People have very little faith in our system. We need more law enforcement and more prisons. I bet a lot of law-abiding people would volunteer some time to make this happen. I would. It’s the one form of government job creation and taxation I wouldn’t fight. Just quit sending money to countries that hate us and we could fund it.
Plea Bargains, Deferred Judgements, and Alternative Schools. If you don’t want to follow rules, todays administrations will help you. Oh, and here’s an EBT card from the taxpayers so you can buy candy bars and soda at the gas station!
Judge Grupp did the right thing. There was 12 years between offenses.
Not to mention that OWI at .08 is a stupid measurement of one’s ability. Much to-do about drinking and driving.
I don’t see that many people getting run over by a drunk.
I just don’t dig on all this drinking and driving BS, to much drama. I am sure his child was safe or the judge would not have dropped that charge. You folks need to calm down.
And just how do you squeeze 12 years out of 10 years and 5 months? If you’re sober now, you can’t count.
Please stay home when you’re drinking. You’re the type who probably thinks s/he’s still in control after downing a 12-pack.
Katie is right, how do you squeeze 10 years and 5 months out of 12 years? Watchdog must have missed math class in school or is blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other to make such a ridiculous statement. Do better next time, and .08 is high enough. And higher and too many people would be driving in a drunken stupor.
Just look at the guy and tell me he is just at a .08, besides that how much would it take a guy this big to get to a .08?
Judge Carolyn Grupp. Remember that name in the next election. She needs to go.
Her, and that other idiot Carolyn Weiland must also go the next time they’re up for election. Prisons are being filled up as fast as they’re built, and why? Health care, cost of food and energy.
I’d love to know the reasoning behind this. How is it a judge can just ignore what the law says? It wasn’t 12 years between offenses. He was lucky to get the child endangerment dropped in the plea bargain. I would think that should have been more than enough generosity on the judge’s behalf.
i wonder who will get scrapped off the road the
next time