UI student facing OWI and drug charges

Hunter
09/25/20

A University of Iowa student stopped because he was allegedly carrying too many passengers on his moped has been arrested on OWI and drug charges.

18-year-old William Leonhardt of Catlett Hall was stopped near the intersection of Clinton and Washington Streets shortly after 1:30am Friday for having two additional passengers on his 2018 moped. Police say he had bloodshot watery eyes, impaired speech and balance, and had the odor of ingested alcohol.

Leonhardt reportedly denied drinking, but exhibited measurable impairment on field tests. A subsequent Datamaster reading of .076 percent was recorded approximately 90 minutes after he was stopped.

A search of Leonhardt incident to arrest allegedly discovered a glass jar in his backpack containing a yellow wax substance that he admitted under Miranda was THC wax. Authorities also reportedly found a completely fictitious New Jersey driver’s license in a card holder attached to his phone, designed to make him appear to be of legal drinking age.

Leonhardt was taken into custody and charged with first offense OWI, marijuana possession, and possession of a fictitious license. If convicted on all charges, he could be sentenced to up to three years in prison.