RINGGOLD COUNTY, Iowa — A dispute between two men from Ringgold County ended with one of them dead by a self-inflicted gunshot and another charged with attempted murder, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
A release from DPS details what happened prior to the death of Chance Newton and the arrest of Joseph Vanderflught Sunday night.
At 10:12 p.m. Sunday, the Ringgold County Sheriff's Office received a call about a man in Kellerton who displayed a gun in a threatening manner. Deputies located the suspect and attempted to pull him over.
The suspect, identified as Newton in the press release, led officers on a high-speed pursuit in which Newton shot at and hit a deputy's vehicle. The pursuit came to a stop when Newton "was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound while driving through the town," according to DPS.
Authorities did not disclose if Newton had intentionally shot himself or not.
Newton was pronounced dead at the scene after his car struck a tree. Officers did not fire their weapons or receive any injuries, according to DPS.
About 40 minutes later, a man called 911 to report he and a woman were shot while driving along county road J45 in Lamoni. Both occupants were treated at the Ringgold County Hospital and transported to MercyOne Des Moines. They are both in stable condition, according to DPS.
The investigation discovered there was an "ongoing dispute" between Newton and Vanderflught. During an interview with law enforcement, Vanderflught said he had fired at a car traveling on J45 because he thought it belonged to Newton.
As a result, Vanderflught was charged with two counts of attempted murder and arrested. He is currently being held in the Decatur County Jail, according to DPS.
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