Mason City man steals car, battles police, makes lethal threats

MASON CITY – A car was stolen in Mason City, and police tracked down a suspect in a seedy neighborhood, only to find out the culprit had no intentions of going quietly, allegedly injuring two officers during a ground entanglement as he conveyed potentially lethal threats.

On April 28, 2025, at 12:17 PM, the a 23-year-old male victim reported his car missing from 300 block of 1st Street SW in Mason City. Witnesses reported seeing someone driving the car nearby, and police responded. The investigation led officers to 10 N Madison Avenue, where Mason City police officers spoke to occupants, including 24-year-old Donavan Ward. This interaction led officers to attempt to detain Ward, but he allegedly resisted the officers attempt to detain him, and a struggle ensued. As a result of the struggle, two officers had minor injuries while struggling with Ward on the ground. During the encounter, Ward allegedly threatened the officers multiple times that he would shoot the police with a gun.

Officers eventually subdued the suspect, and Donavan James Ward (pictured at top) was taken to the Cerro Gordo county jail, and he was booked in at 1:36 PM on the following charges:

– 719.1(1)(c) – Interfere w/ Official Acts, Bodily Injury Result

– 708.7(2) – Harassment 1st Deg – Threaten Forcible Felony

– 714.2A(1)(b) – Theft 2nd Degree – Motor Vehicle NOT $10,000/+ in Value ($8,000)

– 719.1(1)(c) – Interfere w/ Official Acts, Bodily Injury Result

Ward remains held on $9,000 cash bond and awaits a preliminary hearing set for May 9 at 1:15 PM.

Records show Ward is awaiting court appearances on several other serious charges from alleged crimes from this year in Mason City, including third-degree theft (NON JURY TRIAL set for 05/28/2025 09:30 AM), operating a vehicle without owner’s consent (ORDER FOR MENTAL INCOMPETENCY COMMITMENT), interference with official acts (ORDER FOR MENTAL INCOMPETENCY COMMITMENT), criminal mischief (ORDER FOR MENTAL INCOMPETENCY COMMITMENT) and other traffic infractions.

Records further show that Ward was accused of taking a vehicle in Mason City back in July of 2024, and the case is still open.  He had a mental competency hearing and Judge Karen Salic released him from jail.  N0 court date appears to be set.

Back in 2019, Ward was arrested in connection to a shooting incident in Mason City.  Then, in 2020, he was charged with felony reckless use of a firearm and carry weapons, but that case appears to not yet be settled in court after Judge James Drew released him from jail in June of 2022.