A Louisa County Sheriff deputy was injured during a manhunt on Thursday which started in Columbus Junction.

Just after 3:00pm, a traffic stop was conducted by the Columbus Junction Police Department. The driver, who was pulled over for multiple violations, exited his vehicle, but then got back in and flew westbound from downtown Columbus Junction at a high rate of speed, nearly colliding with multiple vehicles. Eventually, the driver crashed at a road construction barrier near X17, rolling the vehicle several times. The driver ran from the crash into a timber to the south.

The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus Junction Police Department set up a perimeter, ultimately locating the subject with K9 Drake and utilizing a drone. The suspect was later identified as Francisco Nunez, age 46, of Muscatine, IA. Nunez complained of injuries, but was cleared later at a local hospital. He remains at the Louisa County Jail on a $7,500.00 cash only bond.

As a result of this incident Nunez has been arrested on multiple charges…

Felony Eluding-C Felony
Driving while revoked-OWI
Interference with official acts
Driving while suspended
Reckless Driving

Multiple traffic citations
*further charges are pending by Louisa County Sheriff’s Office

Multiple agencies assisted the Columbus Junction Police Department to include the Louisa County Ambulance, Mincers Towing, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DOT and the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office.

The Annual Feed a Farmer event will be held this Friday, October 11^th. Farmers are invited to the Chem-Gro in Salem, and the AgriCenter and Becks, both in Mt. Pleasant, between noon and 3pm. A sack lunch will be provided with your choice of hamburger or cheeseburger, as well as a bag of chips, a cookie, and a water. If you need your food delivered because you are busy with harvest, call Kaylen if you are in the Salem/Houghton area at 319 931 6659, or Alexis at 319 850 9767. If you are in the Mt. Pleasant area, call Briar at 319 217 1407.

This annual event is hosted by the Mt. Pleasant FFA and sponsored by the Mabeus Family and Hy-Vee.

The Burlington Police Department is asking for help from the public in a shooting investigation. Just after midnight on Sunday, October 6^th, Burlington Police Officers responded to a report of bullet holes in a vehicle in the 1000 block of North 7^th St. The Burlington Criminal Investigation Division collected evidence as is investigating the incident. If you have any information, please call the Burlington Police Department at 319 671 7001. You can also call the Crimestoppers at 319 753 6835, in which you may be eligible for a cash reward.

At approximately 3:45pm on Sunday, October 6th, the Washington Police Department responded to several calls of a reported motor vehicle accident with shots fired in the 200 block of West Madison Street.

A Washington Police Officer observed both vehicles leaving the scene eastbound on Madison Avenue with one of the vehicles attached to the other. Both vehicles eventually came to a stop, just north of the intersection of East Washington and South 9th.

It was reported that a Chevrolet Silverado driven by Aaron Kron, age 27, of Riverside backed his vehicle into a Chevrolet Suburban near the intersection of West Madison and South Ave. B.

Kron drove away from the scene with the Suburban still attached to his vehicle as a passenger in the Suburban, Daegan Brown, age 24, of Brighton fired a handgun at the Kron vehicle.

There were no injuries reported in the accident or the shooting incident.

Kron was arrested and charged with Assault While Displaying a Dangerous Weapon and Brown was arrested and charged with Intimidation With a Dangerous Weapon. Both were transported to the Washington County Jail.

The incident remains under investigation.

The Washington Police Department was assisted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Communications, Washington Fire & EMS, and Moore’s Towing.

On Oct 6^th, 2024, the Burlington Fire Department was dispatched at 6:26 am for a report of a porch on fire at 540 S. Central Ave. Burlington, IA. Burlington firefighters arrived at 6:30 am to find fire showing from the front and rear of the residence.

The property is owned by David Sherbondy and is a two-story multi-family residential complex with four residential rental units. The property was insured at the time of this incident. All occupants escaped the fire due to working smoke alarms.

Burlington Fire Department was assisted by Alliant Energy and Gas, Danville Fire Department, West Burlington Fire Department, Burlington Police Department, Burlington CID, and American Redcross. All units cleared the scene at 11:45 am.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported during this incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. If you have any information relating to this case, contact the Burlington Fire Department at (319) 753-8396. Updates to this incident will be made available by the Fire Marshal.