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.

(Radio Iowa/IDALS) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture says two positive cases Avian Influenza are confirmed in Woodbury County. The cases are both in backyard mixed species flocks. There have now been 17 cases reported in the last two months.

Commercial and backyard flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should be immediately reported to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present a public health concern. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.

About HPAI
HPAI is a highly contagious viral disease affecting bird populations. HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. The virus can spread through the droppings or the nasal discharge of an infected bird, both of which can contaminate dust and soil.

(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.

(Radio Iowa) – Home sales in the state were down nearly 12 percent in October compared to last year. Iowa Association of Realtors spokesperson, Ashlee Kieler, says it’s a seasonal drop. “Really it’s very indicative of a typical housing cycle for us you know nationally and at the state level and the fall people are more settled you know school started now people are in the swing of things, so they’re not necessarily looking to uproot and move to new places,” she says. Kieler says the market didn’t come to a total standstill.

“That doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there looking there definitely are and it’s starting to kind of stabilize you know with those interest rates and things,” Kieler says. One of the issues has been having enough homes on the market for sale, something she says has been improving. “The inventories are ticking up little by little and so that gives some more opportunity and maybe will entice some people to get out there into the market too,” she says. Having more homes on the market creates movement that she says benefits everyone.

“Those people who are selling a lot of times they’re entering the market then too so that also gives them some opportunities out there,” Kieler says. The number of days homes were on the market increased year-over-year to 37 days compared to the 32 day average of October 2022. Median sales prices increased eight percent to 216-thousand dollars.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report two men were arrested on separate charges, late Wednesday afternoon/evening. At around 4:45-p.m., officers arrested 36-year-old Bryce Michael McKinnon, of Clarinda. He was taken into custody in the 1100 block of N. 5th Street, for Assault and Interference with Official Acts. McKinnon was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

And, a little after 5-p.m., Wednesday, Red Oak Police arrested 40-year-old Douglas Ray Kirsch, of Villisca. He was taken into custody at the Red Oak Fareway Store, for Theft in the 5th Degree. His bond was set at $300.

(Creston, Iowa) – An accident near the Casey’s Store on Devoe Street in Creston, Wednesday evening, caused $3,000 damage to the vehicles involved, but no one was injured. Creston Police report an SUV driven by 49-year-old Paula Crow, of Creston, was leaving the store parking lot at around 6:05-p.m., and turning left onto Devoe Street. She failed to see an oncoming westbound Chevy Cruze driven by 69-year-old John Raddatz, of Creston. Crow was unable to stop in time before the vehicles collided.

The Police report noted Crow failed to yield the right-of-way in making a left turn, but there were no citations issued.