MASON CITY – Breaking the law right in front of a police officer is usually not recommended, as seven bar patrons found out recently.
According to Mason City police, an officer was inside Eleven Lounge at about 1:03 AM on February 23rd “doing a bar check when several issues, many unrelated, occurred at approximately the same time. The officer radioed for assistance and multiple law enforcement officers arrived” from the MCPD and other agencies to help the officer.
Police said that Cretia Martin, age 21 of Waterloo and Amanda Hanson, age 23 of Mason City, “got into a physical fight and had to be separated by law enforcement”. Both women were arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Both posted bond and await upcoming court dates.
According to social media posts by Cretia Martin, “she punched my boyfriend in the face because ig [I guess] he was standing in ‘VIP’ … I went over to him and a whole bunch of guys started assaulting him … I tried pulling people off of him and got thrown at the bottom of the pile stomped … wrong place wrong time. I’m really nervous for court … this is so unreal … I just pray the judge understands.”
Dakota Back, age 19 of Clear Lake, was questioned for allegedly trying to start fights in the bar. During the investigation, he provided false identification to the investigating officer(s). He was arrested for providing false info and public intoxication. He pleaded not guilty and faces a March 19th trial.
Cretia Martin’s boyfriend, 22-year-old Larry Gaston of Waterloo, was arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Gaston posted bond and must appear in court on March 5th. Waterloo police conducted a search warrant at their home in May of 2012.
Lamar Sayles – an Ellsworth Community College football player – age 21 of Mason City, was arrested for public intoxication. He posted bond and faces a March 5th court date.
A man wanted on a warrant for an alleged sexual assault was found to be in the bar and arrested. Tommie Laster was taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail, where he remains on $20,000 cash-only bond. Police are waiting for a second man they say is connected to that assault to turn himself in.
Daniel Franken, age 22 of Clear Lake, was arrested for violating a no contact order. Police said that Franken and the protected party (a female) were both in the bar, carrying on a conversation. He was charged with the same offense twice in January of this year after a woman filed a petition for relief from domestic abuse on January 10th. He faces a contempt of court hearing on March 10th.
** SUBJECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY **