Glenwood, Iowa (KETV) — The Mills County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, accepted the resignation of Sheriff Travis Oetter. Their action came during a special meeting Wednesday morning. The Sheriff’s last day is Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. Oetter was elected in November, 2020. Chief Deputy Josh England will serve as interim sheriff.

The board of supervisors has the option of appointing England or another individual to complete the remainder of the sheriff’s term, which runs through December 2024. A special election could also take place if there is opposition to a board appointment and/or another person seeks to serve as interim sheriff for the remainder of the term.

Travis Oetter

The sheriff’s position will be on the November 2024 general election ballot. According to reports, England, who was in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, said he doesn’t intend to run for sheriff in 2024.

Rural Glenwood resident and veteran law enforcement officer Greg Schultz, currently a captain with the Council Bluffs Police Department, has already announced his intentions to run for the sheriff’s post in 2024.

Des Moines – The Iowa Insurance Division reports a Dallas County man entered a plea of guilty, November 17th, to one-count of Identity Theft. 48-year-old Christopher Robin Cundiff, of Adel, also pled guilty to one count of Forgery. The charges were the results of an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. The investigation began in January 2023 after the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau received information indicating Cundiff had presented to an insurer a written document in support of payment knowing such document contained false information.

Christopher Cundiff (Photo courtesy of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office).

Cundiff was arrested by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office on June 12, 2023. Following his guilty plea, Cundiff was placed on supervised probation for two years and was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,710.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa/KETV) A high-speed pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies, Wednesday morning, resulted in the eventual arrest of a man from Pottawattamie County. The chase began a little before 7-a.m. near Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, after a Nebraska State Trooper observed a Chevrolet Silverado hauling a vending machine. The vehicle had no rear driver’s side tire and no front passenger-side tire. The Trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver – later identified as 26-year-old Matthew Figueroa, of Council Bluffs, took-off and merged onto Interstate 80 eastbound. All the while, authorities said the vehicles was “throwing sparks on the roadway from driving on rims.”

As the pursuit continued and entered Iowa, the Trooper received assistance from Council Bluffs Police. The Nebraska State Patrol said that the pickup slowed “significantly” as it exited I-80 at the I-29 northbound on-ramp, and the pursuit came to an end.

Figueroa was taken into custody by Council Bluffs police. The NSP said he’ll be cited for flight to avoid arrest and willful reckless driving in Nebraska.  He faces additional charges in Iowa.

(Fort Dodge, Iowa) –A woman attacked late last Friday (11/24) morning by three dogs in Fort Dodge, is in critical condition and recovering from multiple surgeries that include amputations.

According to Fort Dodge Police, the incident happened at around 11:25-a.m. in the 800 block of S. 16th Street. An officer with the Fort Dodge Police Department arrived in the area and located a woman being attacked by three dogs. The officer attempted to scare the dogs away to stop them from attacking the woman, but the animals would not stop. The officer on scene then drew his duty weapon and shot all three dogs multiple times to stop the attack.

A GoFundMe page set up by a member of the woman’s family, said that as of Monday (11/28), the victim – who was identified only as “Brittany” – has had many surgeries and procedures since the attack. She had both legs amputated to her knees, and parts of her hands. The post said she is going to need facial reconstruction surgery, has serious head trauma and much more.

The post claims Brittany was attacked by three Pit Bulls. No charges have been filed as of the latest available information.

(Creston, Iowa) – The driver of an SUV was arrested early this (Thursday) morning, following an investigation into an accident. According to Creston Police, a 2013 Ford Explorer driven by 24-year-old Larry Dean Fernandez, of Creston, struck a pole in the Creston True Value parking lot, next to the building, at around 12:30-a.m.  Fernandez then drove-off and was followed to the area of the 1200 block of N. Spruce Street. The vehicle was parked in front of a driveway, but not before hitting a garbage can at the end of the driveway.

When officers arrived, Fernandez told them he had been drinking, and that he was the only one in the vehicle. He was arrested for OWI.

The Explorer had sustained front-end damage and was leaking red fluid. An investigation showed a pole that held up an over hang on the True Value building was struck, and red fluid matching that which was coming from the SUV, was found on Spruce Street. Damage to the pole was estimated at $2,500.

Paint chips also matched the color of the vehicle on Spruce.  An officer followed the trail of red fluid, starting at the pole and across the parking lot, over a curve and then onto eastbound Townline Road. The red trail ended where the SUV stopped.

The vehicle was parked by a friend of the owner’s daughter.

(Montgomery County, Iowa) –  Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle Wednesday afternoon, resulted the arrest of two people from northwest Iowa. Authorities say a Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a car for speeding at Highway 34 and 8th Street, at around 3:11-p.m. The driver, 36-year-old Ashley Lamonte Roberson, of Sioux City, was arrested for Driving While Barred and cited for speeding.

During the same traffic stop, 40-year-old Nicholas Lamonte Roberson, also of Sioux City, was arrested on a Woodbury County warrant for Contempt of Court. Both subjects were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond, each.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa City Police say a man with a gun was arrested Tuesday morning at the Grant Wood Elementary School after he allegedly threatened multiple staff members. Police charged 31-year-old Brandon Jones of Iowa City with two counts of first-degree harassment and carrying a weapon on school grounds. The school district released a message to parents that said Jones was in the school office and had a handgun on his hip, but gave it to another person when he was asked to take it outside. No other details were released.

The Iowa City school district said it would have counselors at the school for staff members or students who wish to speak with someone about the incident.