A Waukee man was arrested in Stuart Saturday after allegedly assaulting the mother of his child, endangering the child and stealing the mother’s phone.
Triston Michael Ladwig, 23, of 755 Ashby Dr., Waukee, was charged with first-offense domestic abuse assault, second-degree burglary, third-degree theft, child endangerment, obstruction of emergency communications and fifth-degree criminal mischief.
The incident began about 5 a.m. Saturday in the 600 block of N. Fremont Street in Stuart, where officers of the Stuart Police Department responded to a report from a female caller who said that she “had locked herself and her minor child in the driveway in a vehicle” while her “boyfriend was banging on the windows to the vehicle,” according to court records.
The victim told the officers “that earlier in the evening,” she and Ladwig “had gotten into a
verbal argument,” so she and her 8-month-old child went “to her mother’s house so they could have some space,” according to court records.
The victim told the officers that “she had called 911 earlier in the morning,” when Ladwig allegedly “broke into the house,” but “he left on foot, so she told dispatch that it was okay now because she just wanted him to leave,” according to court records.
Ladwig allegedly “entered the house a second time, causing damage to the exterior back door and interior bedroom door,” and he allegedly “tried to forcefully take” the child from the victim, according to court records.
Ladwig allegedly “grabbed” the victim’s “wrist” and grabbed the child’s “midsection, while he was attempting to take” the child from the victim, according to court records.
Ladwig “then forcefully took her phone from her as she was trying to call 911 and told her to have good luck trying to call them now.”
The victim told the officers that Ladwig then “left on foot with her phone,” and she “locked herself” and the child “in the vehicle in the driveway” and used a friend’s phone to call police.
Ladwig “then began calling and messaging” to the friend’s phone and said “that he was almost to Dexter and was not going to give the phone back right now,” according to court records.
An officer of the Stuart Police Department spoke with Ladwig on the friend’s phone, and Ladwig said that “he wasn’t bringing the phone back and then hung up the phone call.”
The victim “then pinged” Ladwig’s “phone using an app” and determined that his phone “was still pinging inside the house.” Officers of the Stuart Police Department located Ladwig inside the residence with assistance from the Iowa State Patrol and Dallas County Sheriff’s office.
Damage to the victim’s phone was estimated at about $1,200, and damage to the homeowner’s exterior and interior doors was estimated at about $300.
Ladwig was held in the Guthrie County Jail prior to posting a $9,000 cashor surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing July 22 in Guthrie County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
