Iowa Concerns of Police Survivors

Chief of Police Robert Smith died as the result of complications from injuries sustained when he was pushed by a subject on September 20th, 2009.

Chief Smith was called to a local tavern where reports of an intoxicated male was disorderly and bleeding. The male subject had visible injuries to his face and head when Chief Smith arrived to the scene. Chief Smith ultimately arrested the subject for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

The subject was transported to the local hospital where he was treated and released to the custody of the Chief. As Chief Smith was escorting the handcuffed subject to his marked squad car, the subject was able to escape by pushing him to the ground where Chief Smith suffered injuries to his knee, leg, head and neck. The subject was captured a very short time later.

Chief Smith sustained injuries to his neck that required surgical repair. The corrective surgery caused him to be paralyzed. Chief Smith died nine months after being paralyzed due to medical complications of the paralysis, on August 13th, 2010.

The subject was charged the night of the incident with Interference with Official Acts, Public Intoxication, and theft (the handcuffs that secured him when he escaped), and escape from custody. The subject pled guilty to the interference, all other charges plead down.

Chief Smith had served with the Stuart Police Department for 16 years and had previously served with the United States Army for 23 years. He is survived by his wife and six children.

Sergeant Eric Stein was shot and killed as he, the county sheriff, and another deputy attempted to question a man regarding an incident that had occurred the previous night.

The three officers had gone to the man's home on 249th Street, in rural Sigourney, shortly before noon when they were fired upon. Sergeant Stein was struck by the shots and fatally wounded. The sheriff and other deputy took cover and called for assistance.

The subject remained barricaded in his home for about three hours before coming outside with a firearm. He was killed by an Iowa State Patrol tactical unit.

Sergeant Stein had served with the Keokuk County Sheriff's Office for 11 years. He is survived by his 9-year-old daughter, sister, father, and fiancee.

Trooper Mark Toney was killed in an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 65/69, south of Indianola, at about 4:40 pm.

He was traveling with emergency equipment activated when the patrol car left the roadway and overturned several times, landing in a field. The vehicle burst into flames during the accident.

The crash investigation determined that Trooper Toney's patrol car was traveling at approximately 115 mph when it left the roadway.

Trooper Toney had served with the Iowa State Patrol for 24 years. He is survived by his two sons, parents, brother, two sisters, and fiancee.

Sergeant Howard Snider drowned in Lake Geode while attempting to save his daughter who was in a boat that was drifting away from the dock as the result of strong waves.

He jumped into the water without a life jacket to bring the boat back to shore but suffered a pulmonary embolism and sank below the surface. His body was recovered two hours later.

Sergeant Snider was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Ames Police Department for 23 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Police Officer Jamie Buenting was shot and killed during a standoff at a home on Pleasant Street at approximately 1:40 am.

Officers had responded to the home approximately four hours earlier after receiving a report that a man wanted for felony domestic assault was at the location. The man refused to exit the home when officers arrived and barricade himself inside. The subject fired a single shot at approximately 1:40 am and struck Officer Buenting, killing him. The subject remained barricaded inside his home until surrendering at approximately 5:30 am.

On September 5, 2014, the suspect, 32, was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life.

Officer Buenting had served with the 4-officer Rockwell City Police Department for eight years and had served in law enforcement for a total of 12 years. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

Police Officer Adam Liddle suffered a fatal heart attack following a shift in which he responded to a burglary in progress and a shots fired call.

Officer Liddle had served with the Waterloo Police Department for three years and had previously served with the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office for two years. He is survived by his wife and son.

Police Officer Carlos Puente-Morales and Police Officer Susan Farrell were killed when their patrol car was struck head-on by a wrong way, drunk driver on I-80, at mile marker 117.

They were transporting a prisoner from Council Bluffs back to Des Moines when the crash occurred. Both officers, the prisoner, and the driver of the wrong way vehicle were killed.

Officer Puente-Morales had served with the Des Moines Police Department for five months and had previously served with the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and the Ottumwa Police Department. He was a member of the Army National Guard.

Police Officer Susan Farrell and Police Officer Carlos Puente-Morales were killed when their patrol car was struck head-on by a wrong way, drunk driver on I-80, at mile marker 117.

They were transporting a prisoner from Council Bluffs back to Des Moines when the crash occurred. Both officers, the prisoner, and the driver of the wrong way vehicle were killed.

Officer Farrell had served with the Des Moines Police Department for only five months and had previously served with the Polk County Sheriff's Office for 11 years.

Sergeant Shawn Miller was killed in a motorcycle crash while returning from court after testifying in a hit-and-run case at the Dallas County Courthouse.

He was traveling on Highway 169 when another vehicle turned left in front of him at the junction with I-80. Sergeant Miller was unable to avoid a collision and struck the side of the vehicle.

Sergeant Miller was an Iowa National Guard veteran who had served with the West Des Moines Police Department for 26 years and previously served with the Iowa Department of Corrections. He is survived by his wife and three children.

He was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Sergeant Anthony Beminio and Patrolman Justin Martin, of the Urbandale Police Department, were shot and killed from ambush while sitting in their patrol cars shortly after 1:00 am.

Patrolman Martin was sitting in his patrol car at the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue when a subject approached and opened fire without warning, shooting into the driver's side of the patrol car between 15 and 30 times. Nearby citizens called 911 to reports shots fired and responding officers located Patrolman Martin inside.

Additional officers from multiple agencies setup a perimeter in the area. Approximately 20 minutes later the same subject approached Sergeant Beminio's patrol car, approximately two miles from Patrolman Martin's murder, and ambushed him at the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Avenue. The man then fled the scene. At approximately 9:30 am he surrendered to law enforcement officers in Dallas County.

On May 19th, 2017, the subject was sentenced to two consecutive life terms after pleading guilty to both murders.

Sergeant Beminio had served with the Des Moines Police Department for 11 years.

Patrolman Justin Martin and Sergeant Anthony Beminio, of the Des Moines Police Department, were shot and killed from ambush while sitting in their patrol cars shortly after 1:00 am.

Patrolman Martin was sitting in his patrol car at the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue when a subject approached and opened fire without warning, shooting into the driver's side of the patrol car between 15 and 30 times. Nearby citizens called 911 to reports shots fired and responding officers located Patrolman Martin inside.

Additional officers from multiple agencies setup a perimeter in the area. Approximately 20 minutes later the same subject approached Sergeant Beminio's patrol car, approximately two miles from Patrolman Martin's murder, and ambushed him at the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Avenue. The man then fled the scene. At approximately 9:30 am he surrendered to law enforcement officers in Dallas County.

On May 19th, 2017, the subject was sentenced to two consecutive life terms after pleading guilty to both murders.

Patrolman Martin had served with the Urbandale Police Department for 15 months.

Deputy Sheriff Mark Burbridge was shot and killed at the Pottawattamie County Jail in Council Bluffs as he and another deputy returned two inmates to the jail after a court appearance.

As the deputies began to take the inmates into the jail, one of the inmates attacked him after using a concealed key to remove his shackles. The inmate obtained a firearm from the van and shot both deputies. He then stole the transport van and fled from the jail. He shot a citizen nearby when he attempted to carjack the man. He then abducted another citizen and forced her to drive him from the scene in her vehicle.

The subject was located by Omaha, Nebraska, police officers after releasing the woman. After a high-speed pursuit, he was taken into custody and charged with numerous felonies related to carjacking and weapons possession. The man had just been sentenced to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder.

On August 15th, 2017, the man was sentenced to life in prison for Deputy Burbridge's murder and related charges.

Deputy Burbridge had served with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office for 12 years. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, his mother, two brothers, and a sister.

Deputy Sheriff Stephanie Schreurs succumbed to injuries sustained four days earlier in a single-vehicle crash on K-52, near Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Her patrol vehicle left the roadway on a sharp curve, entered a ditch, and rolled over. She was flown to a hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she remained until succumbing to her injuries.

Deputy Schreurs had served with the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years. She is survived by her four children.