THE BENCH TRIAL OF A SIOUX CITY MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AND TEN OTHER COUNTS BEGAN WEDNESDAY WITH THE DEFENDANT PLEADING GUILTY TO SEVEN OF THE CHARGES.
38-YEAR-OLD DANIEL WENZEL PLEADED GUILTY TO ELUDING, ASSAULT CAUSING BODILY INJURY TO A PEACE OFFICER, RESISTING ARREST, CRIMINAL MISCHIEF DAMAGING PROPERTY IN EXCESS OF $300, FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM, CONTROL OF A FIREARM BY A DOMESTIC ABUSE OFFENDER AND POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA 3RD OR MORE OFFENSE.
ASSISTANT WOODBURY COUNTY ATTORNEY LOAN HENSLEY EXPLAINED THE POSSIBLE LENGTH OF SENTENCE
FROM THE PLEA:
WENZEL1 OC……..15% SURCHARGE. :34
THAT MEANS A POSSIBLE SENTENCE OF 18 TO 91 YEARS IF THE COUNTS ARE SERVED CONSECUTIVELY, BUT 3 TO 16 YEARS IF SERVED CONCURRENTLY.
JUDGE STEVEN ANDREASEN ORDERED A PRE-SENTENCE REPORT ON THOSE COUNTS, AND THEN CONVENED A BENCH TRIAL ON THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A PEACE OFFICER CHARGE AND THREE OTHER COUNTS.
BACK ON AUGUST 8TH OF THIS YEAR, DAKOTA COUNTY DEPUTIES INITIATED A PURSUIT OF WENZEL WHO WAS DRIVING A BUICK CENTURY AND THEN FLED INTO SIOUX CITY WHERE POLICE SAY HE FIRED NUMEROUS ROUNDS AT PURSUING OFFICERS.
OFFICERS PERFORMED A PIT MANEUVER ON HIS CAR ON LEWIS BOULEVARD WHERE WENZEL FLED ON FOOT AND THEN ASSAULTED A MALE ARRESTING OFFICER, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE OFFICER’S FACE.
POLICE SAYS HE CONTINUED TO RESIST AND WHEN FINALLY PLACED IN THE BACK OF A SQUAD CAR, HE KICKED OUT TWO REAR WINDOWS AND CAUSED OTHER VEHICLE DAMAGE.
A LOADED GUN AND ILLEGAL DRUGS WERE RECOVERED FROM WENZEL’S VEHICLE.
