(Southeastern Wright County, Iowa — A man faces multiple charges in Wright County after using a stolen vehicle to ram a trooper’s car into the ditch, Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported. The Iowa State Patrol reports Troopers clocked 22-year-old Ahmed Khalif at 105 mph, on Interstate 35. Khalif did not stop for the trooper and a chase ensued at around 7-a.m., Wednesday.

Authorities say Khalif took the exit to Woolstock and ended up driving the wrong way before turning around again. That’s when Khalif rammed a trooper’s car into the ditch. Next, Khalif left the vehicle and a foot pursuit began. A short time later, the trooper tracked him down on foot and made the arrest. Khalif had warrants out of Minnesota and Maryland. The vehicle was stolen out of Massachusetts.

Iowa State Patrol Facebook page photo

Khaliff is charged with felony eluding, interference with official acts, assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, possession of a stolen vehicle, operating while intoxicated, possession of controlled substance, felon in possession of a firearm, speeding, no driver’s license and other traffic charges.

(Norwalk, Iowa) – Officials in central Iowa report a man from Marshalltown faces a charge of a murder in the first degree, in connection to the September stabbing of a Norwalk woman. 38-year-old Antonio Lavell Lewis also faces unrelated charges stemming from warrants out of Marshall County.

Norwalk Police say on September 15th, they responded to reports of a stabbing at an apartment at 608 Knoll Drive. Officers found 31-year-old Karisa Shendelman. She had died from multiple stab wounds. Antonio Lavell Lewis was also inside the apartment. He was arrested for unrelated warrants at the time.

(Creston, Iowa) – A woman who said she was distracted by her cell phone, failed to stop at an intersection in Creston, Wednesday night, causing her vehicle to rear-end a pickup truck. No injuries were reported. Creston Police report 67-year-old Ricky Ramaeker, of Creston, was driving a 1999 Dodge pickup truck on southbound Sumner Street, and stopped at the red light with Adams Street, when his vehicle was struck from behind by a southbound 2004 Pontiac. The accident happened at around 10:15-p.m. Authorities identified the driver of the car as 19-year-old Katilina Bozwell, of Creston.

Damage from the collision amounted to $4,000, with damage to the Pontiac amounted to $3,000. Bozwell was cited for having no insurance.

(Radio Iowa) – A study finds the average rate of family premiums for health insurance offered by private employers in Iowa has risen significantly. The report from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota found the average premium rate for Iowa families jumped about nine percent from 2020 to 2021, while the national average is only three percent. Robert Hest, a research fellow at the center, says Iowa’s relatively small population may be a factor.

Hest says, “It’s also kind of a statistical thing where, because there’s a smaller sample size in Iowa, that those estimates just tend to be less stable over time than you would see in a state with a larger population and a larger sample size.” Iowa has nearly three-point-two million residents, ranking it the 31st most populous state in the U-S. 

“Because there’s a smaller population, it doesn’t take as many employers, large employers to make changes to the types of plans they’re offering, or to the cost of those plans to really swing these statistics,” he says. The report found about 87-percent, or one-point-two million Iowans, who work in the private sector were offered employer-sponsored insurance last year.

(by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)