We now know the identity of the man who was shot and killed in downtown Waterloo just after midnight early Sunday morning. Police responding to a call of a disturbance found 27-year-old Davonta Daquwon Sellers of Waterloo on the sidewalk in the 300 block of West Fourth Street with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at UnityPoint-Allen Hospital a short time later. No arrests have been made. This is the third homicide in Waterloo this year…all during this month.
A homicide charge has been filed in connection with the death of a Charles City bicyclist. 24-year-old Ellen Bengtson was struck by a pickup truck and killed on August 2nd of last year. Law enforcement is now identifying the driver of that pickup as 44-year-old Colby William Elliot of Clarksville. He was charged this week with homicide by vehicle–reckless driving. Court documents state Elliot was driving his pickup south on Floyd County Road T-64 when he came up on Bengtson riding her bicycle south just after 7:30 that evening. Investigators say Bengtson was riding her bike on the right side of the white fog line when she was struck by Elliot’s pickup and knocked into the west ditch. Bengtson later died as a result of her injuries. Authorities say Elliot was distracted opening an app on his cell phone to read a message when he hit Bengtson.
Although gas prices in Iowa have not changed in the past week, according to GasBuddy, they are 12.3 cents higher than a month ago and 99.9 cents higher than a year ago. The cheapest gas in Iowa is priced at $2.61 per gallon, while the most expensive was priced at $3.39 per gallon. The national average price of gas is $3.02 per gallon; that’s up 14 cents per gallon compared to a month ago and $1.07 higher than a year ago.
The race for Cedar Falls city council Ward 1 drew a candidate this week. 60-year-old Gil Schultz is a Deere and Company retiree now working as an adjunct professor at UNI. The seat is currently held by Mark Miller, who has not said if he’ll seek another four-year term. Schultz says he wants to separate the Cedar Falls fire and police departments. Incumbent Miller has supported the public safety model.
The number of restaurants in Iowa that had to close due to COVID-19 is lower than feared. The Iowa Restaurant Association initially predicted about 1,000 bars and restaurants would permanently close over the course of the last year. Now, that number is predicted to only be about 700–roughly 12% of the overall total–with many closures attributed due to a change in ownership. Association President & CEO Jessica Dunker credits the state’s quick thinking through keeping drive-thru and takeout options open last spring while dine-in was closed, as well as allowing cocktails to go, and state and national grant programs for restaurants as helping keep the doors open.
Two north Iowa teens have been charged with first-degree robbery in connection with an incident where two people were stabbed and had to undergo emergency surgery. 18-year-old Jaden Edel and 17-year-old David Gordon, both of Belmond, were booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail on two counts of first-degree robbery in connection with an incident on April 1 in Mason City. Court documents state a fight began, and Edel held down the victim while Gordon stabbed him multiple times in the back. Another victim was also held down and stabbed in the head before being robbed. Both victims were taken to the hospital. Edel and Gordon are being held on $250,000 bond each.
One person is dead after officials say the person was hit by a roll-off dumpster truck after stepping into traffic on E. University Ave. east of Pleasant Hill just before 10 o’clock Tuesday morning. A dumpster roller truck belonging to Aspen Waste Systems was traveling westbound in the far-right lane when the pedestrian entered the lane of traffic from the north and was struck by the side of the vehicle. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say it does not appear the driver of the truck is at any fault in the incident.
Police have made an arrest in the hit-and-run death earlier this month of a woman on Interstate 35 in West Des Moines. Police say 19-year-old Frank Alan Davidson of Earlham was arrested late Monday on charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death of 38-year-old Stephanie Waddell of Oskaloosa. Waddell’s body was found on May 9 off the shoulder of the interstate. Investigators say an Iowa Transportation Department camera captured video of Davidson’s vehicle swerving off the interstate just before midnight on May 8 and hitting Waddell. Police say witnesses reported Davidson was seen drunk at a party the night of the incident.
The former manager of a Denison credit union has admitted participating in a nearly $1.5 million embezzlement scheme. Janine Keim entered a plea of guilty Monday to making false statements. She and another employee were accused of embezzling $1.48 million from Consumers Credit Union, which is now called Colbalt Credit Union, from May 2012 to March 2018. Prosecutors say Keim filed false reports to auditors and administrators to conceal the amount of missing money. The credit union’s former head teller, Brenda Jensen, of Denison, admitted her guilt in October to a charge of embezzlement.
