Judge increases Rex McDermott’s bond in Cass County

(Atlantic) Rex McDermott appeared in Cass County court this morning for a bond hearing.

Cass County Attorney Vanessa Strazdas said last week she had filed a motion to revoke McDermott’s bond on a number of charges he faces in Cass County. Rex’s attorney argued that no conditions had been placed on Rex that would justify revoking his bond.  Strazdas argued that revoking or modifying bond was justifiable considering the ongoing nature of Rex’s criminal activity and that he’s legitimately at risk of killing someone if he’s not in jail.

Strazdas said there are six cases that McDermott had previously posted bond and released on; those cases range from Public Intoxication to Operating While Intoxicated 3^rd Offense. The first charge was August 22^nd when he was arrested for OWI 3^rd Offense in Cass County and he posted 10 percent of a $5,000 cash bond, so he was able to bond out by paying $500 cash. He then started to accrue more cases in Cass County and in other counties including Public Intoxication charges in Cass County, Obstruction of Emergency Communications and Theft 4^th Degree in Shelby County, Public Intoxication, Operating Without Owner’s Consent and OWI 3^rd charges in Cass County, Willful Injury Causing Bodily Injury in Adair County, Driving While Barred charges in Guthrie County, Assault in Harrison County, Public Intoxication in Pottawattamie County and then the OWI 3^rd charges in Crawford County. He bonded out on all of these charges up until his arrest in Crawford County.

Strazdas said the possibility that McDermott could bond out of Crawford County raised some concerns for her and for law enforcement.

The judge increased bond to $10,000 cash or surety for the first OWI charge, for the charge of Operating Without Owner’s Consent the bond was increased to $10,000 cash or surety, and for the charge of OWI 3^rd and Driving While Barred the bond was increased to $14,000 cash or surety.

Strazdas said if McDermott were to post bond in Crawford County he would be brought to Cass County and would have to post more bond and submit to those requirements.