(Radio Iowa) – The head of the Iowa Department of Public Health says her own experience with one of the Covid vaccines shows adverse reactions are incredibly rare. During a forum with A-A-R-P members yesterday (Thursday), Kelly Garcia talked about getting the single-dose shot of Johnson and Johnson vaccine in March. It’s the vaccine that’s been on pause after six cases of blood clotting were identified among the seven million doses given.

“I normally don’t talk about myself, but…I have a blood clotting disorder. I’m a woman in the age span of the six women who were affected by the Johnson and Johnson vaccine,” Garcia says. “I took the Johnson and Johnson vaccine…and I am absolutely well and just fine today.” Garcia says European officials lifted their pause on the Johnson and Johnson vaccine because the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risk of blood clots.

“There are side effects in nearly every drug that we take to treat anything,” Garcia says. “But what I want to remind folks is that this is unbelievably rare and the pause was really centered around equipping physicians to recognize if someone had this condition and treat them appropriately.”

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s website (as of 5-p.m. Thursday) showed more than 930-thousand Iowans have completed the two-shot series of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and Garcia says that’s almost half of Iowa’s adult population.

A man from Riverton was arrested April 18th following a brief pursuit. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a Fremont County Deputy was on a traffic stop, when a Nissan Xterra SUV failed to move over and slow down. After the Deputy at the traffic stop notified other deputies with a description of the vehicle, another Fremont County Deputy was able to locate the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop near the 3700 Block of Highway 2.

William Joseph Estelle

The suspect vehicle led deputies on a short pursuit with speeds reaching 80 miles per hour. The chase ended with the arrest of 45-year-old William Joseph Estelle. He was charged with Eluding, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Estelle was also later charged with Violation of Parole. Fremont County Deputies were assisted by the Page County Sheriff’s Office and the Shenandoah Police Department.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports an investigation into a hit-and-run property damage accident late Thursday night in Tabor, resulted in the arrest in Randolph, of 26-year-old Christoper Miller, from Sidney. Miller was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, having no valid driver’s license, no insurance, and striking an unattended vehicle. He was being held at the Fremont County Jail on a $2,000 bond. The Fremont County Sheriff’s K9 Unit assisted in handling the arrest. 

Christopher Miller

Authorities had received a call at around 10:20-p.m. with regard to a vehicle that had been struck at Linden Court in Tabor. A witness advised deputies the vehicle struck a parked motor vehicle and then fled the scene. Deputies were also advised a caller was following the vehicle from the scene. Deputies located the vehicle on Main Street of Randolph.