Man sentenced to prison for injuring West Des Moines police officer with vehicle
Chris HigginsA man accused of seriously injuring a police officer with a vehicle has been sentenced to prison.
Jon Schwartz, 62, of Kellogg, was charged last December with serious injury by vehicle and driving under the influence — first offense. Schwartz filed in September to stipulate to the information in the case while letting the judge decide its verdict, and Judge Joseph Seidlin found him guilty of the serious injury charge. The OWI charge and various traffic violations were dismissed.
Seidlin sentenced Schwartz to five years in prison Nov. 22. Schwartz must also pay fines and damages.
According to police, Schwartz was operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, traveling on the shoulder of the road, driving at an excessive speed and watching a movie in early November 2020 when police say he crashed into West Des Moines police officer Jon Kaufman's patrol vehicle, seriously injuring both men.
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According to an Iowa State Patrol incident report, Schwartz allegedly admitted to crash investigators that he had set the cruise control and was relying too much on vehicle lane assist technology.
Kaufman has since sued Schwartz and the licensed operator for the casino in Osceola where Schwartz was allegedly drinking before the crash, seeking damages. That case is ongoing, and a trial has been scheduled for 2023.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.