Regina girls’ basketball coach arrested for harassment

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The harassment-related charge of tampering with a witness or juror that was filed in this incident was dismissed on Dec. 16, 2010. Joens said he was not trying to harass anyone in the incident.]

Aug. 8, 2010 -- The girls' basketball coach at Iowa City Regina was arrested by The Johnson County Sheriff's Department Monday for an alleged incident of harassment that occurred over the weekend.

Deputies said Brian J. Joens, 36, of Solon harassed a man who testified against Joens in an Aug. 13 traffic trial. Joens was charged with reckless driving on July 17 and found guilty by a jury in Johnson County District Court Aug.  13.

Judge Karen D. Egerton warned Joens not to harass the witness or he would be subject to possible criminal charges and a jail sentence, court documents said.

According to a Johnson County complaint, deputies said that on Monday the man who testified met with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and told officers that since he testified against him, Joens had been harassing the man and his family.

The man reported the alleged incidents occurred last weekend, from Friday through Sunday. In the complaint, the man said he was concerned for the safety of himself as well as his family, deputies said.

Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said he believed the judge had reason to believe Joens would bother the witness and his family.

“Well, she was right,” he said. “He did multiple different things to contact the family, none of which individually might be all that bad but since there were multiple contacts we felt it warranted the charges.”

Puldrabek said every time the man and his family turned about last weekend Joens was doing something– including using a video camera in the neighborhood, stating the family was out to get him at the neighborhood block party and also telling the man's family his kids couldn't ride  their bikes in the street, he said.

Joens entered the Johnson County jail on Monday at 3:36 p.m. He posted a $300 bond Tuesday and a no contact order was issued.

Joens has served as the girls' basketball coach at Regina for four years.