Author: Tyler Crabb

DES MOINES —Dozens of residents on the south side of Des Moines were left displaced after a fire caused extensive damage to a three-story apartment building. WHO-13 reports that the fire broke out around 4 pm Monday afternoon, leaving approximately 60 without a home. Fire officials said that the flames spread rapidly throughout the attic of the structure due to strong winds. Despite firefighting efforts, parts of the building collapsed. The official cause remains under investigation, but the fire is believed to have started near a unit on the third-floor. The American Red Cross announced late Monday that it had opened a shelter in response to the fire.

CEDAR RAPIDS —A Decorah farmer pled guilty Monday to stealing more than a quarter million dollars from his business partner in a three-year scheme. KCRG-TV reports that 49-year-old Kurt Krauskopf was convicted of one count of bankruptcy fraud. During the hearing, Krauskopf admitted to selling corn and soybeans grown by his business partner, while claiming he was the sole owner of the crops from 2021 to 2023. Krauskopf then pocketed the profits without the partner’s knowledge. The fraud was discovered after he filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy, which requires monthly income and operation expense reports. In his plea deal, Krauskopf admitted to filing dozens of falsified reports that did not disclose the sales. The sentencing will take place in federal court in Cedar Rapids. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

POLK COUNTY — A member of the North Polk school board has been charged with assault and taken into custody by the Winterset Police Department. KCCI-TV reports that Ashley Delaney was charged following an incident during a track and field meet at Winterset High School last Friday. Court records stated that Delaney approached a male that was sitting on the high jump mat, and grabbed the male by his sleeves to pull him to help move starting blocks. The male stated that he was not a worker or volunteer for the meet. Court documents also said that Delaney admitted to grabbing and pulling the male, but added that she was just trying to guide him and not force him. Delaney is scheduled to appear in court on May 20th.

DES MOINES — The name of the victim involved in a deadly shooting last week in Des Moines was released Monday morning. WHO-13 reports that the Des Moines Police Department identified William Lee St. Peter Jr. as the man that was shot to death in the early morning hours of March 19th. Police said that St. Peter was shot in the head during a drug deal last Thursday. 18-year old Juan Hernandez-Sarceno has been charged with first-degree murder in the case, and is being held in the Polk County Jail on a $1 million cash bond. A preliminary hearing for Hernandez-Sarceno is scheduled for March 30th. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

POCAHONTAS — Two teenagers have been arrested following an armed robbery in Pocahontas on Saturday. KTIV reports that the Pocahontas Police Department received a call about a young male that was armed with a handgun and threatening a person near the Pocahontas Elementary School at around 3:30 pm Saturday. Witnesses identified two people in connection to the crime, a 16-year-old from Humboldt and 18-year-old Gideon Ayafa of Pocahontas. The victim, who isn’t being identified, told police that he was robbed at gunpoint by the two suspects and was then assaulted. Authorities have arrested both suspects. Ayafa is being held in the Pocahontas County Jail, while the 16-year-old is being held in the juvenile detention center in Cherokee.

BETTENDORF — Scott County officials report that no one was hurt after a train and semi-trailer crashed on Monday afternoon. KWQC reports that the Scott County Sheriff’s Department was notified about a collision between a semi-trailer and train at a Bettendorf intersection just before 3 pm. Officials learned that the semi-trailer was crossing the railroad tracks just south of Great River Road when the back of the trailer on the driver’s side was hit. Officials said that the semi-driver, 70-year-old Jonathan Turnage, and railroad personnel were not injured in the accident. Turnage was cited for failure to properly stop at a railroad crossing.

DUBUQUE— The Dubuque Police Department says that two people are now dead after an officer-involved shooting at a Dubuque bar. KCRG-TV reports that an officer saw a physical fight outside of a Dubuque bar just before 1 am Sunday morning. According to the Dubuque Police Department, the officer saw an adult male, who was identified as the offender, shoot another person with a handgun. The officer then shot at the offender, who then ran into the bar, where he was found suffering from a gunshot wound. Both the offender and the victim were treated by police but were pronounced dead at different hospitals. The officer, who was uninjured in the altercation, has been put on Critical Incident Leave per department policy. Names of those involved have not yet been released as the investigation is ongoing and families are being notified. 

FORT DODGE— An investigation is underway after a man sustained multiple gunshot wounds Sunday morning, according to the Fort Dodge Police Department. WHO-13 reports that the Webster County Telecommunications Center received a call of a male being shot in Fort Dodge around 12:30 am Sunday morning. Officers arrived on scene and located a 36-year-old male that had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. First aid was administered by officers until the Fort Dodge Fire Department arrived and transported the man to a Fort Dodge hospital. Authorities say the man was eventually transported to Des Moines for treatment and was in stable condition as of noon on Sunday. Fort Dodge Police say that the Criminal Investigation Division has been called in to assist in the incident. Authorities say the investigation is on-going.

AMES— The expectation became reality for the Iowa State Football team on Sunday, as multiple players announced their commitment to rejoin former Cyclones coach Matt Campbell at Penn State. Iowa State had more than 50 players enter the NCAA transfer portal this offseason. As of Sunday evening, 19 of those players had announced their commitment to other programs, with 14 of those athletes rejoining Campbell at Penn State. Among the notable players to become Nittany Lions are quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carsen Hansen, tight ends Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle, and linebackers Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel, and defensive back Marcus Neal.

TAMA COUNTY— Officials in Tama County report that they have been in contact with Arkansas authorities after a vehicle linked to an Eastern Iowa man was found in Johnson County, Arkansas. KCCI-TV reports that a 2012 Mini Cooper belonging to 22-year-old Nicholas Collins was located at an abandoned trailhead in the Ozark National Forest without its license plates Thursday morning. According to a press release from the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Collins has not been seen or heard from since December 19th. Anyone with information on Collins’ whereabouts is urged to call the Tama County Sheriff’s Office.

SIOUX CITY— A teenager has been accused of fatally stabbing another person in Sioux City on New Year’s Day. KTIV-4 reports that the Sioux City Police Department was called to a home for the report of a disturbance between family members at around 11:20 am on January 1st. According to Sioux City Police Sergeant John Sanders, a 17-year-old boy, identified as JK Athreee, was taken into custody and booked on one count of first-degree murder murder. According to court documents, Athreee told his family there was a dead body in a car found in a nearby alley. Upon arrival, officers found Jermel Ellington of Sioux City in a vehicle with 16 stab wounds. Ellington was taken to the hospital for treatment, but was declared deceased. Court records indicate that witnesses and family members told law enforcement that Athreee had come inside the home shortly after 11 am, and asked for assistance in helping hide things. Athreee allegedly told law enforcement in an interview that he and Ellington had issues with each other over the past month.

DES MOINES— The Des Moines Police Department says preliminary data for 2025 shows a decline in the number of homicides and traffic fatalities in the city compared to 2024. WHO-13 reports that detectives in the Crimes Against Persons section investigated 10 homicides in 2025 compared to 15 in 2024. The Des Moines Police Department Traffic Unit investigated only 12 traffic fatalities in 2025 compared to 18 in 2024, and in total, police reports were down by over 1,000. A comprehensive report of the 2025 data will be released to the public at a later date.

BONDURANT— Authorities say that two people were injured in a barn fire in Bondurant, which resulted in the barn being deemed a total loss. WHO-13 reports that deputies and multiple fire departments were called to the scene of the fully engulfed structure north of Bondurant at around 5:30 pm on Thursday. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, two adult females sustained minor injuries due to the fire and were transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

MARION— A former business owner in Marion was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for gun charges on Tuesday. KCRG-TV reports that 28-year-old Cordell Mayfield, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, Mayfield stored a gun with an obliterated serial number inside his used appliance business located in Marion in September of last year. A concerned parent contacted local law enforcement to check on their child, who was with Mayfield at his business. During the welfare check, officers found the gun in Mayfield’s hand. Mayfield was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and fined $2,000. He was also ordered to forfeit the firearm seized from him.

MITCHELLVILLE—The city of Mitchellville has been left without local law enforcement, after the city’s entire police force resigned effective Thursday. KCCI-TV reports that this is not the first challenge to face Mitchellville this year, as two police chiefs resigned and a city administrator was fired. City mayor Tony Jensen recently held a special town hall meeting to address recent controversies. The city of Mitchellville is now working with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement, which is vital since the city houses the Women’s Correctional Institution. While Mitchellville and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are working together to provide protection for the city, no formal deal has officially been agreed to.