A Chicago man robbed an Iowa gas station on Sunday night, holding two gas station employees at gunpoint before putting them in a cooler. He then fired 10 shots at a deputy sheriff responding to the crime, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Stanley Donahue allegedly robbed two Casey's employees at gunpoint after 10 p.m. on Sunday. He stole cash from the register and safe, cigarettes and the employees' personal belongings before putting them in a cooler.
Prosecutors say Donahue seriously injured Linn County Deputy William Halverson by shooting him in the left hip and leg. Donahue allegedly stole Halverson's service weapon before fleeing the gas station. Halverson had been wearing a protective vest at the time.
The Casey's General Store was located in Coggon, a town approximately 20 miles from Cedar Rapids.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below:
Halverson remained hospitalized in stable condition Tuesday at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The shooting of Halverson, who has worked for the county for seven years, was the first of an on-duty Linn County deputy since 1973.
Authorities captured Donahue, 36, on Monday afternoon near Coggon after a 14-hour manhunt that involved a drone, an airplane, search dogs and dozens of officers. He was arrested without incident after being spotted by a television news crew, who called police.
Halverson was the first to respond to a store alarm signifying a robbery in progress and was met by Donahue after he entered through the front door. Donahue repeatedly shot at Halverson and wounded him before he took the deputy's gun and fled in a minivan, the complaint states.
Another deputy tried to pull him over, but Donahue sped away before crashing into concrete barriers on a bridge that was under construction, the complaint said. He then fled on foot and managed to evade authorities for 14 hours.
In the minivan, investigators said they found the handgun Donahue used to shoot Halverson. They also recovered the deputy's service weapon and merchandise stolen during the robbery.
Donahue has been charged with 10 counts, including attempting to murder an officer, disarming an officer, first-degree robbery, false imprisonment, trafficking stolen weapons and possessing a gun as a felon. The most serious carry sentences of up to 50 years in prison. If convicted of attempting to murder an officer, he would be required to serve 100 percent of the prison sentence imposed and not be eligible for parole.
During a brief court appearance Tuesday, a judge set Donahue's bond at $2.5 million and appointed the public defender's office to represent him. No attorney has made an appearance on his behalf.
Authorities say Donahue, who is in custody at the Linn County jail, was previously convicted of felonies in Illinois and Oklahoma.
