SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The grieving family of an officer has bought his police dog from the Sioux City Police Department. The Sioux City Journal reports that Sgt. Jay Fleckenstein died Friday of natural causes at his home. He was 39.

The department bought the dog, a Belgian Malinois named “Eik,” from Fleckenstein in 2009. The officer had raised and trained Eik since he was a puppy. A police news release says the purchase agreement included an option that Fleckenstein’s family would be able to buy back Eik if Fleckenstein were to leave the department for any reason.

Eik had nearly six years on duty with Fleckenstein. The dog would have been required to be recertified before returning to service with another officer.

A man police identified as a transient was arrested early this (Thursday) morning, in Council Bluffs, during an investigation into the theft of a vehicle. Bluffs Police spokesman Benjamin Roth says at around 2-a.m., officers were dispatched to the Bucky’s store at 2713 South 24th Street, in reference to a stolen vehicle that had just occurred. The vehicle had been left running while its occupants entered the business.

While in the store, someone entered the vehicle and stole it from the parking lot. Within minutes of the initial dispatched call, a deputy for the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department located the vehicle belonging to 26-year old Leslie Ventura, of Sioux Falls, SD. Police stopped the car in the 3500 block of 4th Avenue.

The driver, identified as 33-year old Ryan Scott Beers, was taken into custody without incident, and charged with theft 2nd. The Council Bluffs Police Department reminds you not to leave their vehicles running while entering businesses, as it makes an easy target for thefts such as this one.

Police in Council Bluffs reported late Wednesday night that two people were seriously injured during a crash earlier that evening on the South Expressway. Bluffs Police Sgt. Darren Budd says just before 7-p.m., a 1998 Ford Mustang driven by MacKenzie Jones, of Council Bluffs, was traveling southbound and was preparing to turn left onto 35th Avenue. A 2007 Chevy Tahoe driven by 33-year old Lynsi Perkins, of Council Bluffs, was traveling northbound on the South Expressway.

Several witnesses and Perkins said both drivers had a green light. There is a protected left turn arrow for southbound traffic, but the arrow was not active according to witnesses. The SUV hit the passenger side of the Mustang with such force, that two passengers in the vehicle, 16-year old Ellen Campbell and 13-year old Jane Campbell, both of Treynor, suffered serious injuries, with Ellen Campbell’s injuries deemed to be critical.

Both teens required extrication by the Council Bluffs Fire Department. They were transported to the UNMC for treatment. Mackenzie Jones was uninjured. Lynsi Perkins suffered minor injuries during the crash, and her minor passengers were not believed to be injured.

Officials say there appears to have been NO indications speed or impairment contributed to the crash. Jones, however, was cited for Improper Turning Movements. The Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit will be conducting a follow up investigation into the crash.

(Updated at 6:22-a.m. to clarify 4 injuries as earlier reported)

The Iowa State Patrol early this (Thursday) morning, updated information concerning a crash Wednesday evening on Highway 92 in Adair County, that injured four people.  Officials say several eastbound vehicles in a line of traffic were stopped in a construction zone at around 6-p.m., waiting for the Pilot car to return, when a 2004 Buick Park Avenue driven by 34-year old Brian Jorge Ford, of Creston, rear-ended a 2013 Ford F-150 pickup, driven by 43-year old Todd Nothwehr, of Clarinda. His wife, 42-year old Lara Nothwehr, was a passenger in the vehicle.

Photos submitted to KJAN. Click on photo to enlarge

The force of the impact caused the pickup to rear-end a 2012 Ford F-150, driven by 31-year old Danielle Buresh, of Bridgewater, which rear-ended another vehicle.  All four vehicles came to rest on the road, blocking traffic in both directions for several hours.

Lara and Todd Nothwehr were treated at the Cass County Memorial hospital and have since been released. There was no word on the conditions of the other two victims, but authorities had said late Wednesday evening, that the injuries did not appear to be life threatening, and that all occupants had been wearing their seat belts. Airbags also deployed in the vehicles, limiting the extent of injuries.

Assisting at the scene were deputies with the Cass and Adair County Sheriff’s Offices.