Charles City man faces felony charge for ‘burnouts’ in new NHHS parking lot

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A young Charles City man has been charged with a felony for allegedly doing “burnouts” on New Hampton High School’s new parking lot, causing more than $5,000 damage.

New Hampton Police arrested Damien Bryan Thornton, age 19, on Sunday, Sept. 3, and charged him with second-degree criminal mischief, a Class D felony, and three counts of reckless driving, nonscheduled traffic offenses, for actions Thornton allegedly took at about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20.

According to a statement by the New Hampton Police, video of the incident that had been recorded was provided to the department and allegedly led to the identification of Thornton.

“The defendant did enter school property (the parking lot) and do burnouts on a freshly concreted parking lot,” according to a criminal complaint filed in Chickasaw County District Court. “This project had just been finished and cost approximately $700,000. The defendant did purposefully cause the tires on his truck to break free for a long period of time. While doing this, there was damage done to the parking lot. This damage was $5,300.”

The criminal complaint says Thornton was driving a 2001 Dodge Ram pickup.

The reckless driving complaint filed in district court says that Thornton dove his vehicle “in such manner as to indicate either a willful or a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.”

Thornton was released on his own recognizance and ordered to appear at court dates on Sept. 14 and Sept. 18 on the various charges.

Conviction of a Class D felony in Iowa is punishable by a prison sentence of up to not more than five years and a fine of up to $10,245 plus surcharge, costs and fees.