Lang
7/16/21
An admitted meth user accused of stealing a motorcycle allegedly laid the blame on a fellow meth user, then used Google to ask “how long meth stays in your system” in full view of a police officer.
An Iowa City Police officer reports observing 53-year-old Robert Perez of 1st Street making what he described as “non-sensical actions” on a 2009 Kawasaki while driving near the intersection of Court Street and Scott Boulevard just after 9:30 Thursday night. A traffic stop was initiated after a check of the license plate showed the vehicle had been stolen from elsewhere in Iowa City.
Perez allegedly claimed a fellow meth user had let him use the motorcycle, but he couldn’t remember the person’s name. He allegedly admitted to injecting meth five hours prior to the traffic stop. A post-arrest check of Perez’s person turned up multiple syringe caps in his pockets.
Perez was taken to the Iowa City police station, where he refused field sobriety testing. He offered to take a breath test, which showed no alcohol in his system.
Perez allegedly used his phone to Google “how long meth stays in your system after consumption” in full view of at least one officer.
A search warrant was written and signed allowing for a blood sample to be drawn at Mercy Hospital. The sample has since been sent to the DCI lab for testing.
Perez is charged with Operating While Intoxicated – 3rd or Subsequent Offense, 2nd Degree Theft and Driving While Revoked. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum of ten years in prison. Perez has previous OWI convictions from 2011 and 2016.