Last update: 5:24 p.m. Friday with comments from ISU PD Chief of Police Michael Newton.
A 25-year-old from Des Moines is facing 15 felony criminal mischief charges following damage done to Iowa State Patrol and Story Country Sheriff’s Office vehicles on Saturday during the Cy-Hawk football game.
Security camera timestamps posted to the Iowa State Police Department X, formerly known as Twitter, account show an individual in a tailgate lot outside of Jack Trice stadium at 2:35 p.m., five minutes after the start of the Cy-Hawk football game.
As a result of tips received from the post, Giada Morresi of Des Moines was identified by the Iowa State University Police Department as the individual who allegedly damaged 15 vehicles belonging to the Iowa State Patrol and Story County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The damage to the 15 marked vehicles did not leave any of them unusable, according to ISU PD.
Eight of the 15 counts are 1st Degree criminal mischief, which is a Class C felony, each count causing more than $10,000 in damage.
The remaining seven counts are 2nd Degree Class D felonies, which caused between $1,500 and $10,000 in damage for each count.
Iowa State University Police Chief of Police Michael Newton described the damages to the marked patrol cars as “deep gouges,” and in some cases, the gouges “went past the paint into the metal of the vehicle.”
The individual came back “a couple different times” and damaged the cars, according to Newton.
“All of the vehicles will have to be re-logoed or painted or parts replaced, but still operational which was at least good so the officers could do their duty after the game,” Newton said.
Although the alleged crime took place on University property, no damages were reported on ISU PD vehicles.
“Most of our vehicles were in another location, so she happened to target the marked police vehicles that were parked in that area,” Newton said.
Following the game the Iowa State University Police Department posted a photo and video on X asking for information about an “incident,” which occurred Saturday.
Hey Cyclones! We would like to speak with an individual who may have information about an incident that occurred Saturday, Sept. 9th. If you know the person below, please let us know!
24/7 dispatch: 515-294-4428
Email: [email protected]
Iowa State Safe app: Report a Tip pic.twitter.com/dedUTk5NLT— Iowa State University Police Department (@ISUPD) September 12, 2023
Newton said he wants to thank the public, “Without the public we wouldn’t have been able to find the individual involved.”
The photo and video to X provided the department with the name of Morresi, according to Newton.
“It was from everybody out in the community looking at our social media, a number of people were able to identify the individual and give us a name and information on the person,” Newton said.
Newton said the department does have video evidence in the case.
A guy | Sep 18, 2023 at 8:26 am
While provocative, showing the suspects image may be sensational, it is not substantive to the story. How about showing the video of her doing damage to the cars? So far all we have is the claim here and no proof of anything. I like how everyone is guilty before going to court these days. It isn’t like police haven’t gotten anything wrong ever. But if she was drunk and keying cars it isn’t like ai couldn’t have scoured the internet for those stupid tattoos. I have always found that people with tattoos are not the brightest, so count me in on the people judging her before the judge does.
Adam Callanan | Sep 16, 2023 at 11:35 am
Question for the reporter: What does this mean for her role serving the City of Des Moines Transportation Safety Committee?
I'm not putting my name on here | Sep 16, 2023 at 8:27 am
So you’re saying if she had worn a blank hoodie w the hood up she would’ve gotten away with it. Anyways lmao good job keying 15 cops at once
Zach Nelson | Sep 15, 2023 at 9:11 pm
I hate to bring this up right now but this is where you have to say it.. don’t get me wrong kid sounds like a douchebag but unfortunately I’ve lived long enough see the mishandling of these events starting with Mike Runyon and Iowa State’s VISHA… how come nobody ever brings up his name he was a junior in high school was down there and Ames and the whole fraternity started chasing them. The new recruit track star gets stabbed and died by 16 year old fleeing from drunk fraternity guys.. he’s doing life in prison.. because the kid who caught him was a recruited track star for Iowa State and not 16 year old was just a poor white boy.. he’s doing life because of your VISHA… sorry about the scratches on your car and it sounds like a drunk douchebag but still you guys have a history of ruining a kid’s life over scratches on a car or a fat house chasing down a high school student trying to beat their ass.. he’s doing life because he didn’t give his up.. it’s been a while but you guys need to relook at that seriously you want something to talk about Ames we look at that that was completely wrong it’s been God damn 25 years.. do you want to start a discussion about where it all starts from everything put aside Ames University you have a long history of pointing a finger at a single individual and saying that that person is why the riot started that person is a murderer they should do life in reality you need to take a look at your inability thousand fence where people drink and not let the mob rule.. Michael Runyan is already paying his life for this… it’s no longer necessary for Ames and Iowa State as a school to say a thing…. this is just you guys trying to show up on some fucking idiot.. until you seriously take a look at what happened with Michael Runyan and Visa and how you guys are railroaded 16-year-old being chased by a whole fraternity of drunk guys and he is doing life in prison still to this day don’t ever talk to me about a couple scratches on a cop car
Jacob | Sep 16, 2023 at 12:23 pm
To give everyone more context on this Mike Runyon story, The victim of the murder was Harold “Uri” Sellers, a 19 year old from Monroe and a student at DMACC. The suspect was 20 year old Mike Runyon, who was a high school drop-out from Fort Dodge.
Both Harold and Mike had been drinking when the event occurred in the early morning hours of April 20th, 1997. Mike and his friend Luke approached the Adelante Fraternity house while walking down the sidewalk. Luke noticed a party on the balcony of the house and asked about joining the party, perhaps using provocative language, as revealed during questioning from the prosecution at Mike’s trial. After these remarks, a handful of men from the fraternity followed Mike and Luke as they continued down the sidewalk and disengaged from the altercation when Mike and Luke were well away from the fraternity. There is no mention of any “chase” or violence in this first encounter between Mike and the men at the fraternity. I should also be mentioned here that Harold may not have been involved with this first incident, as Mike testifies that he did not recognize him from the first altercation.
Mike assumed he and his friends are going to go back home and starts walking back to their van with Luke. Mike realized another friend who came with them to Ames, but had been separated from them much earlier, was not at the van, and Mike decided to go looking for him. Luke also testifies that Mike asked for his knife while near van. As Mike goes to look for his other friend, he walks up the driveway of the fraternity. Luke follows behind, though Mike does not know this. Another handful of men from the fraternity (this time including Harold) approach Mike in another attempt to intimidate him into leaving.
As Mike and these men get close, Mike feels someone grab his arm, and, assuming he was about to get beat up by the fraternity members, makes the decision to brandish the knife. Mike testifies he tried to stab Harold Sellers in the arm. The man who grabbed Mike’s arm, was actually his friend Luke, likely in an attempt to pull him away from this second altercation. Luke and Mike then run away. Mike testifies that he did not think about running before taking out the knife.
Harold Sellers dies from the knife attack. Mike ends up stabbing Harold in the chest, which pierced part of his heart. Mike turns himself in to the police the next day in Fort Dodge.
Zach Nelson, you falsely frame this case using incorrect statements about the identities of those involved to try and garner sympathy for the suspect, while also bringing a sinister racial aspect into the mix. I am not saying that race played no role in the hostilities. I could not find any information on the race of Mike, though Harold was White. Assuming Mike was Black or some racial minority, it was ultimately his decision to stab someone that put him in prison. The men from the fraternity seemingly did not act in a way that would have warranted the use of a knife for self defense.
If you break the law, you face the consequences.
And just as a side note, the event this occurred at is called VEISHEA, not VISHA.
My information comes from the iowa state daily articles on this issue from 1997 and 2004, though the website does not allow me to post links.
Donita Michele Barrett | Sep 15, 2023 at 5:16 pm
So disrespectful to our blue.
Giada Morresi needs to be held accountable. Pay for all damages, as well as jail time for sure.