A Sioux Center man faces multiple charges after police say they located a pickup that had been reported stolen Monday evening.
According to criminal complaints filed in Sioux County District Court, dispatch notified officers that a red GMC Sierra had been reported stolen and was last seen traveling north on Eagle Avenue.
Police Locate Reported Stolen Pickup
Officers allegedly located the pickup around 8:07 p.m. near 390th Street and 13th Avenue Northwest. Police say its description, identifying decal, and license plate matched the vehicle that had been reported stolen.
Thirty-year-old Saul Rodriguez-Hernandez of Sioux Center is accused of driving the 2023 GMC Sierra without the owner’s consent. The complaint alleges Rodriguez-Hernandez took possession or control of the vehicle without intending to permanently deprive the owner of it.
Marijuana and Signs of Impairment Alleged
Police also reported a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle and Rodriguez-Hernandez. Officers say they observed a plastic bag containing marijuana buds, a vape device identified in court documents as containing THC and cannabidiol, and a butane burner inside the pickup.
The OWI complaint alleges Rodriguez-Hernandez showed several signs of impairment, including reddened and glossy eyes, drooping eyelids, slurred and mumbled speech, lethargic movements, staggered steps and delayed responses.
Court documents state Rodriguez-Hernandez declined standardized field sobriety testing and a drug recognition evaluation. After a magistrate signed a search warrant for a blood specimen, Rodriguez-Hernandez allegedly physically resisted officers and emergency medical providers.
Charges and Bond
Rodriguez-Hernandez faces the following allegations:
•Operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, an aggravated misdemeanor
•Marijuana possession, third or subsequent offense, an aggravated misdemeanor
•First-offense possession of cannabidiol, a serious misdemeanor
•First-offense operating while under the influence, a serious misdemeanor
•Possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor
•Interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor
•Contempt for allegedly obstructing or resisting the withdrawal of a body specimen
Court documents allege Rodriguez-Hernandez has two previous marijuana-related convictions.
Rodriguez-Hernandez was arrested by the Sioux Center Police Department. He’s being held in the Sioux County jail on a $6,000 cash or surety bond.
