A Dallas Center man was arrested early Saturday for fighting in a Granger tavern, and further investigation by the Dallas County Sheriff’s office led to charges he allegedly stole a car in Dallas Center Friday night and abandoned it after putting it in the ditch.
Darrin Clemens Spellman, 25, of 1002 Eighth St., Dallas Center, was charged with second-degree theft, driving while barred and first-offense public intoxication.
The incident began when Spellman was observed by a surveillance camera about 10:15 p.m. as he allegedly entered the garage of a residence at 201 Percival St. in Dallas Center and drove away with a 2000 BMW.
Shortly after midnight, a caller reported the same vehicle was crashed and abandoned in the ditch in the 19000 block of Quinlan Avenue.
At 1 a.m. a caller from Bud’s Pub in Granger reported Spellman was “causing fights and threatening patrons with an alleged gun.” Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and arrested Spellman on a charge of public intoxication.
According to court records, deputies noticed Spellman was wearing the same clothing as the suspect in the car theft on Percival Avenue earlier in the night, and a search revealed that “the keys to the BMW were located on Spellman’s person.”
Spellman is held at the Dallas County Jail on a $7,300 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance Saturday in Dallas County District Court.
Spellman was convicted of second-degree theft and third-degree burglary in February 2016 in Dallas County District Court.
He was convicted of driving while barred earlier this month and in December 2018 in Dallas County District Court and in August 2019 in Cerro Gordo County District Court. He was convicted of driving while denied or revoked in August 2016 in Dallas County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
