UPDATE 07.27.10 – At approximately 3:24 P.M. a vehicle driven by Pedro Gordillo Nino, age 55 of Storm Lake, IA. was northbound on M-44.  A vehicle pulling a small camper driven by James Clausen, age 66 of Sioux City, Ia. was westbound on Highway 3.  The Gordillo vehicle entered the intersection of M-44 and Highway 3 and into the path of the westbound vehicle driven by Clausen.  The vehicles collided in the intersection causing both vehicles to travel northwest into a yard near the intersection.  At this point the Gordillo vehicle caught fire.  A motorist stopped to assist as well as a Rembrandt Fire and Rescue EMT.  Pedro Gordillo was pulled from his burning vehicle by the motorist and EMT, however his passenger, Ma De Lourdes Melo De Gordillo, age 51 of Storm Lake, IA. was trapped inside the burning vehicle and perished in the fire.  James Clausen also was declared deceased at the scene. 

 

 

Ma De Lourdes Melo De Gordillo   02/26/1959         Storm Lake, Iowa

Pedro Pablo Gordillo Nino             06/29/1955         Storm Lake, Iowa

James Victor Clausen                   01/12/1944         Sioux City, Iowa

 

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07.26.10 – According to Buena Vista Co Sheriff Gary Launderville    on July 25, 2010 at 3:24 P.M. the Buena Vista County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a two vehicle accident at the intersection of Highway 3 and M44. The caller reported that one of the two vehicles had caught on fire after the accident.  The Buena Vista County Communications Center dispatched the Rembrandt Fire and Rescue and the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office to the scene of the accident.

     Upon the arrival of emergency services the vehicle was found to be fully engulfed in flames.  The Rembrandt Fire Department extinguished the flames to that vehicle.  Upon the arrival of medical services and the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office it was discovered that two people that had been in the vehicle that had caught fire were deceased and one person in another vehicle involved in the accident was also found to be deceased. 

     The Buena Vista County Medical Examiner’s Office was called to respond to the scene for the investigation.  The victim’s have been transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, Iowa.

     The names of the victim’s are not being released at this time as the investigation into this accident is on going.  The investigation is continuing by the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office.  Further details will be available at the completion of the investigation.

     The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Rembrandt Fire and Rescue, the Iowa State Patrol, the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Ambulance and the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Deputies.

 

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07.20.10 – On July 16, 2010 at approximately 3:50am the Buena Vista County Communication Center received a report of 2 stolen vehicles at a residence located at 4661 120^th Ave. Rembrandt, IA. The caller stated that 2 cars belonging to the victim had just recently been stolen from the farm yard and that another unknown vehicle had been left at his residence. Approximately 20 minutes later a Buena Vista County Deputy observed what appeared to be the 2 suspected stolen vehicles parked at the gas pumps at the Sparky’s 3 and 71 truck stop. Two male subjects were then located at the 2 suspected stolen vehicles and were taken into custody at that time. One of the individuals was a 17yr old male juvenile from Sioux Rapids, IA. The second was a 20 year old male by the name of Alex Arndt of Dickens, IA.

 

Following further investigation by contact with neighboring law enforcement agencies, it was learned that a series of crimes had occurred in our neighboring counties to the north which led to the detention of these 2 individuals at the 3 and 71 truck stop. Earlier in the evening a vehicle was stolen from the Graettinger area and was later found in the ditch near Dickens, IA. Clay County Sheriff then received a report of a stolen pick up truck which was later discovered at the residence where these 2 vehicles had been stolen in Buena Vista County. The 2 individuals were then detained and taken into custody by the Buena Vista County deputies and charged with 2 counts each of operating motor vehicles without owners consent, an aggravated misdemeanor. The adult male is currently being held at the Buena Vista County Jail on bond and the male juvenile was transported to the youth detention center in Cherokee, IA. A short time after the detention of these male individuals at 3 and 71 truck stop, more reports of stolen vehicles came into the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office. Approximately 20 minutes later another report of a stolen pick up truck came from a victim who was located at the crossroads motel at the hwy 3 and 71 truck stop. This pick up truck was then located at a farm residence located approximately three and half miles straight east of Rembrandt, IA. From that location where the pick up was left, another motor vehicle which is described as a ford F150 was stolen from this residence and then was later located by Sheriff’s deputies in the ditch just south of Rembrandt on 120^th Ave.

 

A 3^rd vehicle was then reported as stolen to the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office at 4854 120^th Ave Rembrandt, IA. This vehicle was a 2010 Chevy pick up that was later recovered parked on the street undamaged in Spencer, IA later in the morning.

 

At this time the investigation is continuing with further suspects being sought in regards to this continued theft of motor vehicles that occurred that night. More charges are anticipated in regards to all these vehicles that were stolen from the different farm residences and the investigation is continuing.

 

Assisting at the 3 and 71 truck stop was the canine unit from the Storm Lake Police Department.

 

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07.06.10 – On the early morning hours of July 1, 2010 while on routine patrol a Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Deputy discovered several items laying in the streets of Albert City. Upon further investigation it was determined that several acts of vandalism had occurred during the evening hours. On July 1, 2010 an investigation was began concerning these numerous vandalism acts that had been found and reported. After a lengthy investigation, 3 Albert City teens had been charged with approximately 15 counts of vandalism and criminal mischief. The 3 teenage boys ages 15, 15, and 11 all reside in Albert City and were camping in a back yard that night.

 

During the investigation there were 18 separate reports of vandalism and criminal mischief that had occurred in Albert City that evening. All 3 Albert City teens have been charged with the criminal mischief charges and these charges have been forwarded onto the Juvenile Court. In addition to the teens that were charged, a Dawn Eberle age 38 of Albert City has been charged with allowing a minor to violate the set curfew time of Albert City. Total estimate of damage for all the acts of vandalism will be several hundred dollars. The vandalism and criminal mischiefs acts are still under investigation.

 

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06.22.10 – On June 21, 2010 the Buena Vista County Communications Center received a 911 call in regards to a tractor that was on fire inside of a machine shed at 6168 140^th Avenue rural Storm Lake.  The Newell Fire Department and the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office responded to this address.  Upon arriving at the address the Newell Fire Department extinguished the fire that had started in a tractor parked in the machine shed.  The owner of the tractor and a neighbor had kept the fire under control, with fire extinguishers, until the Newell Fire Department was able to arrive and completely extinguish the fire.

 

An investigation into the cause of this fire was requested by the Newell Fire Department.  A fire investigator with the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office investigated this fire and ruled that the fire was accidental in nature.  The investigator ruled that the fire started due to an electrical malfunction in the area of the fire wall that separates the cab from the engine.  

 

No physical damage was caused to the machine shed.  Damage is estimated to be approximately $9,000.00 to the John Deere tractor that was involved in the fire.

 

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06.14.10 - On June 12, 2010 at approximately 12:30pm the Buena Vista County Communication Center received a phone call requesting medical assistance to an injured party located on the Little Sioux River near Sioux Rapids. The emergency medical personnel as well as the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Sioux Rapids fire department were dispatched to the boat landing area located near the Highway 71 Bridge at Sioux Rapids. Upon arrival at the scene, it was learned that several canoe’s containing several passengers had been traveling from Sioux Rapids down river. After stopping at a sandbar approximately 1 mile down from the Little Sioux River Bridge, one of the members of the canoeing party had dove into the river water but did not realize it was much shallower there than he thought. In doing so the injured party had severely injured his neck and head area and was displaying signs of paralysis. Two of the canoeing parties had managed to canoe back up against the current to the Little Sioux River boat ramp and were able to contact emergency authorities for medical assistance. The river at this time was extremely high due to many recent rains in the area.

 

Rescue personnel in 2 flat bottom boats then responded down river with medical personnel and retrieved the injured party and brought him back to the boat landing area located near the little Sioux river bridge. The injured party was then transported by a life light helicopter that had landed up on Hwy 71.Through the aid of Iowa State Patrol and Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Deputies the highway was closed for a short period of time to allow the helicopter to land.  The injured party was then transported by life light onto a Sioux Falls hospital. The victim in this incident was identified as Scott Leininger, age 32 of Royal, IA. Leininger’s condition is unknown at the time of this press release. The remaining canoer’s were then assisted back to the boat landing area by the rescue boats and brought back to their vehicles at that time.  

Assisting at the scene were the Iowa DNR, Iowa State Patrol, Sioux Rapids fire department, and Spencer Ambulance.

 

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