MASON CITY – Police said this morning that a Mason City man fled a crime scene with a child in the car, striking a utility pole and snapping it off its base.
Shortly after 1:00 AM Saturday, officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of 2nd Street NW on a report of a domestic assault in progress. When officers arrives, they learned that the suspect, Aaron Michael Hermen, 24, of Mason City, had fled the residence in a vehicle with a 19 month-old child. Hermen struck a utility pole with the vehicle as he was fleeing, breaking the pole off its base. Police said it was fortunate that the pole remained upright as the utility wires stayed intact and kept the pole from falling to the ground.
At 1:37 AM an officer stopped Hermen’s vehicle in the Highlands neighborhood and he was taken into custody. The child was not in the vehicle at the time of the stop but officers were able to locate the child at a relative’s home and appeared to be uninjured.
Hermen was charged with the following crimes:
– Domestic Assault with Strangulation (Class D Felony)
– Third Offense Operating While Intoxicated (Class D Felony)
– Child Endangerment (Aggravated Misdemeanor)
– Driving While Barred (Aggravated Misdemeanor)
– Open Container (Simple Misdemeanor)
– Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance (Simple Misdemeanor)
