Cedar Rapids police officer Jones remains on paid administrative leave

CEDAR RAPIDS - Nearly three months since his officer-involved shooting - an incident in which he was cleared in early December of criminal wrongdoing - Cedar Rapids police officer Lucas Jones remains on administrative paid leave.

Cedar Rapids spokeswoman Maria Johnson said Thursday that Jones remains on administrative leave. On Dec. 6 - the day Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said a grand jury would not recommend charges against Jones in the Nov. 1 shooting of Jerime Mitchell - Police Chief Wayne Jerman said that case would be under administrative review within the police department.

Johnson said no decision has been made regarding the administrative review.

'I don't have a timeline for when that process will be over,” she said.

Jones was one of the Cedar Rapids officers who participated in the 11th annual Kids vs. Cops Dodge Ball Tournament at Harding Middle School, which benefits the department's K-9 program. Jones is one of the department's K-9 officers.

Deputy Chief Tom Jonker was at the event and aware Jones was participating, Johnson said.

'Jones was not there serving a police function and was not in uniform or armed,” she said.

Jones pulled over Mitchell on the lower part of Coe Road NE around 1:15 a.m. on Nov. 1 for a license plate light that was out. When Jones went to speak with Mitchell, he smelled marijuana in Mitchell's truck.

An altercation between the two men ensued after Mitchell was ordered out of his truck. When Mitchell tried to get back in the truck, Jones allegedly became caught between the open door and truck and Mitchell put the truck in gear. When Mitchell accelerated rather than stop the truck, Jones fired his gun three times. One of the bullets hit Mitchell in the neck and left him paralyzed.

In a statement to The Gazette following the grand jury decision, Mitchell - who was not interviewed by state agents investigating the shooting prior to the grand jury proceedings - said the version of events that has been presented is 'untrue.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com