Springville man violates pretrial release again by picking up more charges

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Springville man previously charged multiple times with thefts, burglaries and eluding police picked up three additional charges last week — now totaling 15 — while still on pretrial release.

Joseph V. Kremer, 38, had a bail review hearing last week. A judge allowed him to post 10 percent of a $10,000 bail though he had failed to appear for a hearing in a first-degree theft case, where he is accused of stealing a van filled with tools valued at $10,000.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Mary Chicchelly issued a warrant for Kremer’s arrest when he didn’t show for that hearing Aug. 5. After the arrest, Associate District Judge Russell Keast set Kremer’s bail for $10,000 cash or surety bond, and Chicchelly allowed him to pay the percentage.

But Kremer was back in jail Friday, this time under a $25,000 cash-only bail set by Keast for three new charges. Kremer is accused of first-degree theft, attempt to elude and interference with official acts. He is accused of leading officers on a high-speed chase when they attempted to stop him last Thursday for not displaying license plates on vehicle and speeding.

According to a criminal complaint, Kremer exceeded the speed limit by 25 mph or more, ran through stop signs and eventually struck a parked car in the 100 block of Outlook Drive SW in Cedar Rapids as officers pursued him with their emergency lights and sirens on.

Kremer then got out of the car and ran into a camper in the area, where officers found and arrested him. Officers discovered later that the vehicle, a 2013 Dodge Durango that Kremer was driving, had been reported stolen, the complaint stated. If convicted in this case, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Chicchelly, late Friday, also issued a warrant for Kremer’s arrest in seven other pending cases and set his total bail for all at $100,000.

According to court records, different prosecutors have asked judges to impose higher bails on Kremer’s cases or when he violates pretrial release but most requests have been denied.

Last October, Judge Mitchell Turner released Kremer, who was awaiting sentencing in several pleas and faced prison time, without bail to the supervision of the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services after his lawyer asked that Kremer be allowed to go to a substance abuse evaluation and possible treatment.

He was evaluated and was set to enter inpatient treatment in December, but court documents don’t show if he actually started the treatment.

However, Kremer violated that pretrial release in March by being arrested again when he led police on a chase in a stolen vehicle that reached speeds of up to 70 mph in southwest Cedar Rapids.

Judge Kevin McKeever allowed Kremer to withdraw pleas previously made because Kremer said he wasn’t aware he was pleading to a felony in one of the cases. Those charges are included in his pending 15 charges.

Those pending charges include first-degree thefts as habitual felon, second-degree theft as habitual felon, possession of burglar’s tools, eluding, false use of a credit card, third-degree burglary as habitual felon and operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent.

According to court documents, Kremer also has several convictions, including operating a motor vehicle without consent, unlawful possession of a prescription drug, interference with official acts, attempted burglary and burglary, assault with a deadly or dangerous weapon and forgery.

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