On 3/17/2020 at 4:07 p.m., the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle that had spun out and ended up in the ditch. The accident occurred in the 4600 block of 460th Avenue. A 2001 Chevy Impala, owned and driven by David Lee Hauschen, age 64 of Cumming, IA, was traveling north on 460th Avenue. As a result of a mechanical failure of the driver’s side rear tire, the Hauschen vehicle began to spin and entered the east ditch before coming to rest.
Subsequently, Hauschen was investigated by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated/impaired and was placed under arrest. Hauschen was transported to the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office for additional testing and was charged with OWI-1st Offense, Driving while License Suspended and Failure to Prove Security Against Liability (No Insurance-Accident Related). Hauschen was booked into the Palo Alto County Jail and held until his initial appearance before a magistrate judge.
After initially facing the charges in Palo Alto County, Hauschen will be transferred to the custody of Clay County authorities to face the charges of an arrest warrant for violation of probation on an original charge of OWI.
There were no reported injuries as a result of the accident.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.