Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa residents who have tested positive for the new coronavirus has climbed to 44. The number of positive cases was up from 38 on Wednesday and followed Gov. Kim Reynolds’ order earlier in the week for restaurants, bars and other public gathering spots to close for two weeks. Speaking Thursday at a news conference, Reynolds and Dr. Caitlin Pedati, the state public health medical director, declined to give specifics about whether there were enough testing kits or protective equipment for health care workers. Instead, they emphasized the need to take simple actions that would slow the spread of the disease.
WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities have identified a man shot to death earlier this week as he held a woman hostage, as well as the troopers involved in the shooting. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a news release Thursday that 35-year-old Darwin Barnett Foy, of Fort Dodge, was killed by troopers Monday afternoon in Webster City. The three Iowa State Troopers involved were Sgt. James Smith and Troopers Tyrel Williamson and Jeremy Schaffer. The Iowa Public Safety Department says Foy was shot hours after officers responded to a woman’s 911 call. Officials say Foy had threatened to shoot the woman when the troopers went into the home and shot him.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Nebraska man who was fired upon by a Sioux City officer has been convicted of several charges. The Sioux City Journal reports that a judge found Douglas St. Cyr guilty of assault on a police officer, leaving the scene of an accident and guilty of several other crimes. The nonjury trial was held Nov. 5, and the judge filed the verdicts Monday. Police have said St. Cyr rammed the undercover officer’s car on July 31 and fled. The officer fired at St. Cyr but missed him and three other people in the car.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The civil service commission in Cedar Rapids has upheld the firing of a police officer who’d pleaded guilty to drunken driving. The Gazette reports that the commission Monday affirmed the firing of 29-year-old Austin Mensen. Police Chief Wayne Jerman fired Mensen on Sept. 24 last year. Anamosa police arrested Mensen early in the morning of May 27 last year, and he later pleaded guilty to drunken driving, second offense. Mensen’s attorney says Mensen had diagnosed, work-related disabilities from responding to shootings. He says Mensen is weighing further action.