Authorities in Audubon County said today (Monday), they are still looking for the driver of an SUV who eluded deputies and police following a traffic stop and pursuit early Sunday morning. Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson told KJAN News Sunday, that a deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop at around midnight Saturday on Highway 71, near Exira. The vehicle, a blue Dodge Durango with Nebraska plates, sped-off as the deputy approached.

The chase that ensued wound its way south to Brayton and then back north on Highway 71 to Exira. Audubon Police laid down stop sticks in an attempt to disable the SUV, but the unidentified driver took evasive action and drove into the east ditch before traveling on the T-Bone bike trail. The deputy stayed on Highway 71 until Exira, where he blocked the bike trail. When the SUV left the trail and veered into the ditch to avoid the deputy’s cruiser, it hit some debris (trees and brush) and became immobilized.

The driver took off on foot and made his way to the West Nishnabotna River. The passenger, 32-year old Aaron Charles Whitehill, of Omaha, was arrested at around 2:30-a.m., Sunday. Whitehill faces charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance -Methamphetamine, 3rd offense. Whitehill was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $5,000 bond.

The Cass County K-9 team of Deputy Kyle Quist and his partner “Vader” tracked the driver to the river’s edge, where the scent was lost. Sheriff Johnson says they believe the suspect entered the river, which was near full and very cold. While the k-9 team was tracking the suspect, “Vader” suffered a laceration to his paw and was treated near the scene by Quist, thanks to Med Kits provided to the County’s K-9 units by the Cass County Attorney’s Office.

Residents in the area where the suspect disappeared were warned by authorities to lock their vehicles, but Johnson says a vehicle that was reported stolen near Exira, may be been taken by the suspect. The vehicle was described as being a red, Ford F-350 regular cab pickup with Audubon County plates.

Agencies assisting the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office during the incident included the Audubon P-D, Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources and the Cass County Sheriff’s Dept. k-9 unit.

A Nebraska man was injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday morning, in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 31-year old Jose R. Razo, of Omaha, who was not wearing a seat belt, was transported by Pacific Junction Rescue to Creighton Hospital in Omaha, following the accident that took place at around 6:40-a.m. on westbound Highway 370, near Ellis Road.

Authorities say Razo was driving a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer the crossed the centerline and swerved back into the westbound lane, before leaving the road and continuing into a yard, where the SUV truck a tree before coming to rest.

Police in Red Oak arrested an individual on an assault charge late Saturday night. 22-year old Cody Dean Johnson, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 10:30-p.m. in the 100 block of north 2nd Street. Johnson was charged with Serious Assault and transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where he was being held on $1,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The owner of cosmetology schools in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska is asking a judge to dismiss a consumer fraud lawsuit filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office. State attorneys filed a petition Aug. 28 alleging Cynthia Becher, owner of a company that operates La’ James International Colleges violated Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act.

Miller alleges the schools failed to adequately staff classrooms and required students to perform janitorial duties, among other allegations. On Oct. 23 Becher’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss saying the claims are based on vague allegations not facts. Miller’s office plans to respond in a court filing next week.

La’ James has Iowa schools in Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Fort Dodge, Iowa City Johnston. Additional locations are in East Moline, Illinois, and Fremont, Nebraska.

A pursuit that began late Saturday night and ended near a river in Audubon County early this (Sunday) morning, lead to the arrest of one person, while authorities were still searching for another. Details are still sketchy, but we do know the Cass County K-9 team of Kyle Quist and his partner “Vader” were involved in a search for one of the suspects off of Highway 71. Residents in the area were warned to lock their vehicles and report in suspicious persons on their property.

Dep. Kyle Quist administers 1st Aid to his partner “Vader” (Photo Courtesy Quist/I-80 K9)

“Vader” suffered a laceration to his paw during the search, and was treated by his partner, who credited the Cass County Attorney’s Office with purchasing Med Kits for the animals. We hope to have more details later today from the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office.

A Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” released Saturday night shows Republican Joni Ernst has a seven percent lead over Democrat Bruce Braley in Iowa’s U.S. Senate race. Ernst broke the news to supporters at a rally in Cedar Rapids.

She has been talking about “momentum” the past few days as she’s campaigned around the state. Democrats quickly called the new Iowa Poll results an “outlier” as no other public polls released this past week have given Ernst that much of an edge. The Democrats have stressed their get-out-the-vote effort to encourage unlikely voters to cast a ballot early and Braley himself made the pitch to the crowd gathered for a rally in Des Moines Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday morning Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke by phone with a group of “Progressive Change Network” activists who volunteered to make calls for Braley, Saturday. Reid suggested Iowa’s senate race is the lynch pin to keeping the senate in Democratic control.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack spoke at Braley’s rally in Des Moines on Saturday and Vilsack repeatedly used the word “critical” to describe the stakes. In 2013, Vilsack decided to remain as U.S. Ag Secretary rather than run for the seat Democrat Tom Harkin has held for 30 years. Harkin and Vilsack will campaign with Braley Sunday. Ernst will make three campaign stops with Governor Terry Branstad and other Republican candidates today (Sunday).

The Iowa Poll showed Branstad holding a 24-point lead over Democratic challenger Jack Hatch.