Mason City man sentenced to probation after being accused of assaulting a state trooper, high speed chase

CLEAR LAKE — A Mason City man arrested for going twice the posted speed limit and assaulting a state trooper last spring has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and been sentenced to probation.

68-year-old Thomas Markwalter is accused of going 136 miles per hour in a 65 mile per hour zone near Clear Lake on the afternoon of April 28th in a Chevrolet Corvette before being slowed down when a state patrolman pulled in front of the vehicle. Authorities say the vehicles came to a slow roll before Markwalter drove into the back of the patrolman two different times. After getting out of his vehicle, Markwalter is accused of punching the state trooper in the stomach before being forcibly taken into custody. A bottle of Bacardi was located in the vehicle.

Markwalter was charged with assault on an officer, speeding, having an open container, failure to use a seat belt and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Court records show that Markwalter recently pleaded guilty to one count of interference with official acts, a serious misdemeanor.

He was sentenced by Judge Adam Sauer to 365 days in jail, which was suspended, and placed on one year probation.