Three people were arrested Wednesday morning on drug charges after losing control of their stolen pickup truck on an icy road near De Soto.
Felisity Jane Brooklyn Burgess, 18, of 500 W. Spring St., Colfax, was charged with first-offense possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Jose Fidadelfo Castillo, 29, of 2170 N.W. 82nd St., Clive, was charged with operating a vehicle without owner’s consent and first-offense possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine.
Derrick Demon Penelton, 26, of 4805 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines, was charged with first-offense possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine and providing false identification information.
The incident began about 5 a.m. Wednesday in the 34000 block of N Avenue near the De Soto Park and Ride, where a Dallas County Deputy Sheriff responded to a report of a vehicle in the ditch.
The deputy arrived and found Burgess “standing outside of the vehicle” and “asking a passerby for help” as Castillo and Penelton were sitting in a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado with no plates, according to court records.
The deputy made contact with Burgess, who “was vague with any details of the incident, only stating the three truck occupants were trying to travel from Kansas City, Missouri, to Des Moines,” according to court records.
The deputy made contact with Castillo, who allegedly “admitted to driving the vehicle,” which was reported stolen Feb. 14 in Des Moines, according to court records.
The deputy made contact with Penelton, who allegedly falsely identified himself as Dremese Allen Johnson, 18, of Missouri.
A probable-cause search of the truck was conducted “due to the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle,” according to court records. The search disclosed “1.4 grams of a white crystal substance that field tested positive as methamphetamine” and a “glass pipe” with “a partially burnt residue consistent in sight and odor to marijuana,” according to court records.
Burgess was held in the Dallas County Jail before her release on her own recognizance. She is scheduled for arraignment March 10 in Dallas County District Court.
Castillo is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $2,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 10 in Dallas County District Court.
Castillo was convicted of controlled substance violation in 2009 in Polk County District Court. He was convicted of second-degree theft in 2015 in Polk County District Court.
Penelton was held in the Dallas County Jail before his release on his own recognizance. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 1 in Dallas County District Court.
Penelton was convicted of false report to law enforcement authorities in 2012 in Polk Count District Court. He was convicted of providing false identification information in 2016 in Polk Count District Court. He was convicted of first-offense possession of a controlled substance-marijuana in 2017 in Polk County District Court. He was convicted of providing false identification information in 2018 in Polk Count District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is innocent until and unless proven guilty.
