One week after a sheriff's deputy in Muscatine shot a car theft suspect, he has been cleared, and in fact commended, for his actions. Thursday Muscatine County Attorney Alan Ostergren announced the results of the investigation following the wounding of 41 year old Timothy Seefeldt.
On January 15, Deputy Eddie Cardenas and a Muscatine city police officer tried to stop a car that had been reported stolen earlier that evening. The car did not stop and drove away, but the chase ended quickly when the car drove into a motel parking lot. The driver then began crashing the stolen car into the squad car, and other cars, trying to escape. Thinking that both officers were in danger, the deputy fired his gun, wounding the driver who then surrendered.
He was hospitalized with a non-life threatening gunshot wound, but has since checked himself out of the hospital.
Ostergren says Deputy Cardenas' actions were reasonable, based upon the threat to his life and the police officer's. But beyond just complying with the law, he believes the deputy acted bravely, to protect a fellow officer and the public.
Criminal charges against Seefeldt are pending.