Complaint: Oakdale Man Threatens to Kill Cab Driver with Tire Iron

An Oakdale man was convicted on a terroristic threats charge from an incident that occurred in May 2011.

John Lee Newton, 32, was sentenced in Washington County District Court on Friday. 

According to the criminal complaint:

The Washington County Sheriff's Office was called to a residence on the 7000 block of 15th Street in Oakdale on May 1, 2011. The report stated a tire iron was involved. 

At the scene was a woman and a Yellow Cab taxi driver. The woman told officers that she had been at Billy's on Grand earlier that night having drinks with Newton. Newton left earlier than she did. The woman told officers that later that night she called Newton for a ride and he told her to take a cab and he would pay for the fare. She told Newton the fare would be about $25. 

When the cab driver and woman arrived at the residence, both told officers that Newton came out of the residence yelling and holding a tire iron. The woman ran into the house while the cab driver spoke with Newton.

The cab driver told officers that he got out of his taxi because he thought Newton was going to hit the woman with the tire iron. Newton then started yelling and swearing at the cab driver in the driveway. The cab driver reported that Newton allegedly raised the tire iron above his head in a "cocked position" and looked as if he was going to strike the cab driver. The driver also told officers that Newton threated to kill him and hit him with the tire iron.

The cab driver then put his hand the on the defendant's elbow to stop him from swinging the tire iron and called 911. 

Newton was found guilty of terroristic threats. The court placed Newton on probation for five years under certain conditions, including spending 90 days in Washington County Jail with credit for four days, serving time on an in-custody sentence starting on Sept. 1, particpating in a treatment program, having no contact with the victim, completing a mental health program, abstaining from alcohol, providing a biological specimen for DNA analysis and pay $1,000 in fines. 

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