Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Drunk driving becomes felony after suspect threatens officers

What started out as a driving while intoxicated arrest ended up with Jason Mitchell being charged with a felony for making threats against officers.

According to court records, Prescott Police officer Ann Jordan was patrolling the Rosston Road area when a blue Chevrolet Blazer was timed doing 56 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone, along with crossing the center yellow line.

Jordan stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, 19, of Rosston, wasn't wearing a seat belt.

Mitchell was unable to provide a driver's license but gave his birth date as August 24, 1983.

PPD officer Danny Martin arrived to assist, giving Jordan the chance to run a check on Mitchell. She found his license was not valid.

Mitchell, according to reports, had to hold onto the side of the vehicle when he got out, and admitted to having a couple of beers.

Field sobriety tests were administered, with Mitchell failing them, and being placed under arrest.

When Mitchell was placed in the police car, he began shouting obscenities and making racial slurs toward Jordan.

He also started kicking the windows in the back of the car, which led Jordan to use pepper spray to calm the suspect down.

An inventory of Mitchell's vehicle was done and turned up an open bottle of beer and one unopened beer.

He was taken to the Nevada County Jail, where he threatened to kill both officers when he got out and refused to take a breath test.

Mitchell was subsequently charged with terroristic threatening, a class D felony. This carries a sentence of up to six years in prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

He was also cited for driving while under the influence, a misdemeanor with a fine from $150-$1,000 and a night in the county jail.

Mitchell was cited for disorderly conduct as well. This is a class C misdemeanor with a sentence of 30 days in jail and fine up to $100.