Shots fired in Marion leads to lengthy police chase and man charged with attempted murder

An 18-year-old man was arrested Thursday evening in Marion after officers responding to a report of gunshots were led on a lengthy car chase.

Marion Police Chief Joseph McHale said Juny Rodriguez is charged with three counts of attempted murder, two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and one count of domestic assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. He is currently being held at Linn County Jail on a cash-only bond of $200,000.

McHale said Thursday's incident, which led to Rodriguez's arrest, began with a domestic assault in the 700 block of South 22nd Street in Marion. A witness to the assault called 911, McHale said.

'As the citizen was attempting to report the domestic assault, the citizen was fired upon from the suspect with what was later determined to be a 9 mm handgun,” the chief said.

The caller was not hit, McHale said, but the person's vehicle was.

Rodriguez and an unidentified woman then drove away.

McHale said the witness followed the car and updated authorities on the location until officers were able to locate the vehicle at 35th Street and Woolridge Road, where the police pursuit began.

'The pursuit lasted several minutes and traveled north out of Marion, through the town of Alburnett, and back south and west to where it ended at (Interstate) 380 and County Home Road when the Hiawatha Police Department successfully deployed a tire-deflation device,” McHale said.

Dashcam footage released Friday shows multiple police vehicles following the car through neighborhoods and onto major roads lined with evening traffic that had to pull over to let the chase pass.

When the car came to a stop, the footage showed three law enforcement vehicles box it in and multiple officers surround the car with guns drawn.

The unidentified woman exited the driver's side and was immediately taken into custody. Rodriguez was on the passenger side and was arrested by police.

McHale touted the pursuit's successful resolution as a victory for multi-agency cooperation.

'That was a team effort - Marion Police Department, Linn County Sheriff's (Office), Hiawatha Police Department, Iowa State Police - without all of us working together that outcome couldn't have occurred.”

Police have chosen not to identify the woman who was driving, McHale said, adding that he believes it is possible she was forced to keep driving.

McHale said additional charges against Rodriguez are possible, but he does not anticipate charges will be brought against the driver.

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