MASON CITY – A Mason City police officer has received a written warning for an accident that essentially wrecked three vehicles.
Mason City Chief of Police Jeff Brinkley tells NIT that the crash investigation has been completed by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office involving Officer Steve Klemas.
“Officer Klemas received a written warning from a deputy for failure to maintain control,” Chief Brinkley says.
“Our review of the incident is underway and internal,” he said Friday. “The results will not be public, since it is a personnel matter.”
According to a report from the Cerro Gordo county sheriff’s office, on February 18th 2016 at around 8:42 PM, officer Klemas was traveling eastbound in the 400 hundred block of East State Street in Mason City, Iowa when the driver of was lost in his train of thought and struck two vehicles which were both legally parked facing eastbound on East State Street. The vehicles involved in the collision were a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu owned by Justin Mejia of Hampton, Iowa and a 2003 Ford Focus owned by Jon Backlin of Mason City, Iowa. Upon officer Klemas’ striking a vehicle, it was moved from the roadway up on to the snowbank, and the second vehicle was also moved from its parking spot as a result of being struck. All three vehciles sustained disabling damage and were towed from the scene.
There have been some citizens who have questioned the outcome of the case.
“Are you going to print anything on the cop that wrecked 3 cars and gets no ticket?” one man asked NIT. “You or I would have at least failure to control vehicle! How can they give any civialian a ticket after this?”
Another man wrote in, saying “I’m on a rage this cop that hit this car,” he said. He was in the middle of writing a statement for a social media rant page.
Just read this outcome. What a huge coverup!!! If it is possible to appeal this to another agency not directly tied to Mason city. Quite embarrassing!!!
This is a mistake by the police and will lose them a lot of respect. He made a mistake and should be charged just like anyone else.
Here is an example from the Mason City Police incident log from Feb. 29, I citizen does the same exact thing, causes 1/100th the property damage that Klemnas did and is charge. (Big time double standards.)
(16003331) Collision Reported: 02-29-2016 21:26
Officer responded to a vehicle/parked trailer collision, no injuries, driver cited for failure to maintain control.
Addresses Involved
200 block of 4 St NE, Mason City, IA 50401
This is a joke? Right? I just put down the comic section and also find it much more educational than reading about pubic servant accomplishments.
You don’t make any sense.
I don’t have much respect for the new police chief Brinkley, if he isn’t smart enough to stand up to the plate and take charge., do what’s right Brinkley! Your not off to a very good start!
Maybe, just maybe Chief Brinkley doesn’t read NIT or take his marching orders from here. Since you know what needs to be done – maybe you should go to the PD on Monday and outline what Brinkley needs to do. You’ll feel better knowing you are the only one smart enough to have figured this all out – plus the cops will like you too.
I am going to refuse to pay may taxes for police wages, under the condition they don’t do there job anyway! This is a prime example. What a waste, we should ban together and appeal this and have a unbiased agency investigate!
I agree we should do something, I wanna know y he gets off with just a warning.. maybe the Iowa state patrol needs to investigate
Well it’s Steve Klemas, what did u expect? This guy does what he wants and gets no punishment, crooked
This is some bs, homies like me can’t go a day without being harassed by da 5-0. Can’t even crass the street without having to piss in a cup anymore and they get away wit dis.
Well, don’t crass the street and you won’t have to worry about it.
i bet it you didnt talk like a retard you wouldnt get profiled. wigger
Hey Prestin…Thought you might enjoy this from 2011:
Preston Waldschmidt, 22, Mason City, received deferred judgments on two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, both Class D felonies, after he provided the name of the alleged source of the marijuana to Judge Bryan McKinley.
Keep it real Home Skillet Dog
If the officer has a medical condition he is unfit for the job! DUH!!!
If the investigating agency doesn’t find a reason to warrant a ticket in this accident, then the question is what would warrant a ticket? This is a HUGE misjustice! The cerro gordo county jail should let everyone out under the same reasoning, WARRANTLESS! By the way, the Sherriff that investigated this whole issue should never have never been hired for violating his academy a few years back! The whole thing is just a JOKE!
Perhaps the officer has a medical condition???
I know few years late, but what the heck, I would guess you are correct I’m guessing autism or mental retardation possibly? As this seems to be a normal occurrence for this officer and his behaviors as I was driving by the OP he was talking on his cell phone and he continued to blow the stop sign forcing me, on my motorcycle, up on the curb and he kept going. I then called PD to report their little tyrant and got him since he was on shift supervisor he claimed said he was on important call and was in a hurry but I guess it is all good because he said I quote “I didn’t see you” well ya didn’t see the stop sign either idiot also pay very close attention to any citations,a charge any paperwork his signature is on fabrication runs deep in their ranks
It only makes sense Mason City should hire that investigative wizard Peter Lagios from Clear Lake. Maybe this can be blamed on karma or the city not making reparations to slaves. At the very least, there’s bound to be a loud muffler in this mess some where.
It’s F.U. Lee Lagios, the wanna be attorney. Which we all know will never happen. He will end up F.U. Lagios, the quitter.
The outcome of this is just wrong. A regular citizen would have gotten the maximum for this . And who’s insurance is going to pay for these vehicles? Certainly not the owners of the cars I hope.
It will be the taxpayers who will foot the bill for this officer’s accident.
This is beyond belief! How many people get a warning for hitting parked vehicles? Total B.S.!!!