Rocio Gutierrez, 26, of Washington was found guilty by a jury May 12, 2022 of Burglary in the First Degree, a Class B Felony, Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, a Class D Felony, and Domestic Abuse Assault, Third or Subsequent Offense, a Class D Felony. 

On October 28, 2020, Gutierrez and Gutierrez’s boyfriend had a verbal argument at their home in Washington. The boyfriend left, then met with a female friend. Both were  was sitting in the passenger seat of the female friend’s car in a parking lot, with the boyfriend complaining to the female friend about Gutierrez, when Gutierrez showed up and parked her SUV behind the female’s car. 

Gutierrez then forcibly removed her boyfriend from the car, assaulted him, and went inside the female’s car and assaulted the female, causing injury. (Under Iowa law, burglary covers more than just a theft and can also occur when there is an assault inside a car or home.) Gutierrez then got into her SUV and used her SUV to ram the female’s car, causing nearly $6,000 in damage. Evidence from Facebook and Tik Tok was used at trial to illustrate Gutierrez’s aggressive nature. 

“I appreciate the jury’s time, attention to the facts, and just verdict in finding this violent person guilty,” Washington County Attorney John Gish remarked. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17. 

The Washington Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office earned this guilty verdict.