Linn County deputy awarded Iowa Law Enforcement Purple Heart Award

A Linn County deputy, who was shot several times while responding to an armed robbery last year, was awarded a Purple Heart Award on Tuesday by the Iowa State Police Association.

Deputy William Halverson responded June 20, 2021, to a Casey’s General Store in Coggon where Stanley Lavell Donahue had robbed two Casey’s employees at gunpoint and forced them into the store’s cooler, according to court documents.

Donahue, 38, of Chicago, reportedly fired 10 shots at Halverson, who was wearing a protective vest. Halverson suffered gunshot injuries to his hip and leg. Donahue took Halverson’s duty weapon and fled the scene in a minivan. He was apprehended after a 14-hour manhunt, after he was spotted by a TV news crew.

The Purple Heart Award, which was presented to Halverson on Tuesday night at the Iowa State Police Association’s annual conference in Cedar Rapids, is awarded to “law enforcement officers who have been seriously wounded or killed in the line of duty as a result of a combat incident,” according to the association’s website.

Halverson has since healed from his injuries and has returned to full duty as a sheriff’s deputy, according to a tweet from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

Donahue is charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, willful injury, attempt to elude, disarming a peace officer, trafficking in stolen weapons and possession of a firearm as a felon.

His trial is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2023, in Linn County. Donahue’s lawyers filed for a change of venue for the trial, but were denied in December.

If convicted of all 10 charges, Donahue faces up to 112 years in prison with a mandatory 65 years to serve before being eligible for parole. Donahue remains in jail under a $2.5 million bail.

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