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Iowa early News Headlines: Saturday, Feb. 20 2021

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February 20th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A mother and son from Iowa have been arrested on charges accusing them of committing crimes while participating in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol. The FBI says Deborah Sandoval of Des Moines and her son Salvador Sandoval Jr. of Ankeny were arrested Friday on federal warrants charging them with several offenses. Criminal complaints and affidavits detailing the allegations against the two are sealed and unavailable for public review. Both are charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — More than 20 years after it was installed, the University of Northern Iowa plans to replace the UNI-Dome’s fabric roof. The Courier reports that the estimated $7 million to $8 million project was advanced by the Iowa Board of Regents’ property and facilities committee earlier this week. Regents are expected to approve the plan at a meeting Wednesday. Michael Hager with UNI told the committee that the project would replace only the fabric center portion of the roof. The rest of the roof is a plastic polymer that was installed in 2010 and is under warranty until 2040. The fabric portion, which was last replaced in 1999, was found to be deteriorating in 2019.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police say a suspect has been injured but is expected to recover following a shootout with a Davenport police officer. The Quad-City Times reports the incident began Thursday morning with a report of an armed robbery. Police developed a suspect in that crime, and just before 6 p.m., a Davenport officer reported that he had spotted a car being driven by the suspect in the earlier robbery. Several police cars converged on the suspect’s car, and police say the suspect rammed one of the police cars before becoming stuck in a snowbank. Police said that’s when the suspect and an officer exchanged gunfire, although police have not said who fired first in the shootout. Police identified the injured suspect as 30-year-old Clarence Washington of Davenport.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man who police say intentionally ran over and killed a local college instructor has been convicted of second-degree murder in the case. The Des Moines Register reports that a jury found 50-year-old Jason Sassman guilty on Tuesday. Sassman had been charged with first-degree murder in the April 5 death of 38-year-old Lauren Rice. Police have said Sassman was using meth when he intentionally ran over Rice as she walked her dog, which also died. Rice was an instructor at Des Moines Area Community. Police say Sassman told investigators he ran down Rice because he believed she was a criminal about to kill someone.