(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a man from northern Iowa was arrested on an Attempted Murder and drug charges, early Monday morning, following a stabbing along Interstate 80. The Sheriff says at around 11:58-p.m. Sunday, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office received a cellular 911 call. The line was open but initially there was no response. A short time later, the dispatcher could hear a female screaming “stop” repeatedly. 911 mapping showed that the call was coming from a location on Interstate 80. Shortly after midnight, a passerby placed a second cellular 911 call. The male caller described some sort of altercation between a male and a female, in or very near the inside of lane of travel. The caller also noted a vehicle in the ditch west of the male and female. The caller placed the incident at approximately the 84mm on I-80, which is east of the Casey, Iowa interchange.

An Adair County deputy sheriff and an Adair police officer arrived at the 84mm at 12:06 a.m., locating a vehicle in the ditch, but did not initially locate any persons. Later, yelling could be heard east of their location. Law enforcement then located a male subject holding another person in his arms with what appeared to be blood on the ground near the two. The man was handcuffed, and life-saving treatment was immediately administered to the adult female. The female said that it was the male subject who was in custody, who had stabbed her, and that the man was her father.

It is believed that the female was stabbed or cut in excess of 10 times, with at least one stab wound causing potentially life-threatening injuries.

Michael T. Dolezal booking photo

The victim was transported by air ambulance to a Des Moines area hospital. The male subject was identified as 50-year-old Michael T. Dolezal of Mason City, Iowa. Dolezal was placed under arrest and transported to the Adair County Jail. Dolezal was charged with Attempted Murder and Possession of a Controlled Substance-3rd or subsequent offense. At his initial appearance, Dolezal’s bond was set at $300,000 cash only.

First Responders assisting with this critical incident include the Adair Police Department, the Stuart Police Department, Adair Rescue, Stuart Rescue, the Adair County Ambulance, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office/Communications Center. The incident remains under investigation.

**It should be noted a criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.