Kicking jail door nets felony charge for Marshall man

Courtenay James Petersen, 28, of Marshall, has been charged with class D felony damage to jail or jail property following an incident at Saline County Justice Facility Aug. 28.

According to an incident report filed by Marshall police, Petersen was taken into custody after a patrol officer observed him "accelerating rapidly and spinning ..." the tires of his vehicle as he was leaving a local parking lot.

The report says that during the stop the officer administered field sobriety tests after Petersen's behavior suggested the possibility of alcohol use; Petersen's blood alcohol content was later found to be 0.131, well above the legal limit.

Petersen was taken to the jail where he reportedly kicked a door and damaged it.

He was released after posting a cash-or-surety bond of $4,000; a court date has not been set.

If convicted of the offense, Petersen could be sentenced to a four-year term in Missouri Department of Corrections or a year in jail, and/or pay a fine of up to $5,000.

Charges contained in reports provided by law enforcement officials are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting charges must be presented before a jury, whose duty is to determine if the accused is guilty or not guilty of the charges.

Contact Kathy Fairchild at kfairchild@marshallnews.com