MASON CITY – A former Garner man accused of felony theft and other crimes after an incident in July of 2014 on Clear Lake has been arrested on a warrant for assault out of Colorado.
Joshua Lawrence Engstler, age 20 now living in Mason City but formerly of Garner, pled not guilty on August 7, 2014 to felony 2nd degree theft and other crimes. At least four law enforcement agencies responded to a situation on Clear Lake on the evening of July 5, 2014, involving Engstler. According to a report, Engstler was intoxicated, combative and had allegedly stolen a boat at or near 6490 South Shore Drive. Clear Lake police, Iowa DNR officers, the Iowa State Patrol and Cerro Gordo deputies manages to get Engstler under control. He was arrested and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail, charged with interference with official acts, minor consumption, no proof of fishing license, reckless operation of a boat (all simple misdemeanors), two counts of prohibited operations (serious misdemeanors), and theft in the second degree (felony D).
On February 17, Engslter pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of operating without owner’s consent on the 2nd degree theft charge. He was ordered to pay $2,793.31 in court fees and other costs, while he received a suspended 2-year prison sentence and a suspended fine. He was placed on probation for two years and ordered to submit a DNA sample. He has been accused of contempt of court twice during the case, but both times the charges were dismissed.
On the charges of reckless use of a watercraft, operating a boat under the influence of alcohol and interference with official acts, Engstler awaits a non-jury trial on August 13.
Engslter now finds himself back in the Cerro Gordo County Jail, held on a warrant for assault out of Colorado where he lived previously. He is also charged in Cerro Gordo county with a new charge of possession of alcohol under the legal age. He will be extradited to Colorado.
