Iowa Chief Justice’s Spouse, a Hospital GC, Charged at Teen Party

The general counsel of Iowa Health System was charged this weekend with disobeying a deputy who came to his home to investigate a complaint of a noisy teen party.

Dennis Drake, who is married to Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, was charged with interference with official acts, a misdemeanor, the Des Moines Register reports. Drake is general counsel, vice president and legal counsel for the nonprofit hospital chain, according to the Register story.

Seven teens at the party—all 19 years old—were charged with possession of alcohol, according to the Quad-City Times.

Sheriff’s police allege the deputy who arrived at the scene found Drake in a truck at the end of his driveway. Drake allegedly said he was parked there to make sure that none of the people at a bonfire behind his house drove home while intoxicated.

The deputy went with Drake to the bonfire, according to the police account in the Des Moines Register. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jana Rooker told the newspaper that Drake wanted to go back in the house, but a deputy told him he had to stay outside while he questioned the teens.

“They went around and around three or four times and finally the deputy told him that he could not go inside because he was under arrest for interference,” Rooker told the Register.