ROCKWELL – Police say a Dougherty woman was intoxicated Tuesday night when her van left a road just outside Rockwell and took a journey through a farm field before slamming into a ditch.
On February 20, 2024, at approximately 8:00 PM, deputies with the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office were sent to a single vehicle personal injury accident at 150th Street and Raven Avenue in rural Cerro Gordo County. They report that 62-year-old Dawn Carolyn Pondelis of Dougherty, Iowa, was operating her white 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan when it left the road, entered the south ditch of 150th Street and drove about a quarter-mile through a plowed farm field. The van vaulted over Raven Avenue, ending up in the ditch. The driver suffered minor scratches as a result of the accident.
As a result of an investigation, Pondelis was found to be operating her vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and was charged with failure to maintain control and also operating while under the influence, first offense.