A northern Iowa man faces assault and terrorism charges after a manhunt and standoff with authorities in Franklin County east of Hampton on Monday afternoon. Sheriff Larry Richtsmeier says he drove to the area himself after hearing from a worried resident near the Butler County line. The call came in that someone had just shot a light meter off a pole. When the sheriff arrived, he saw a man whose truck was stuck while trying to cross a waterway. Richtsmeier tried to approach the motorist. Richtsmeier said he tried to talk to the man but he pulled a shotgun out of the cab of his pickup and walked into a wooded area, ignoring the lawman. Richtsmeier says it wasn’t long before shots rang out. He says he just heard a “boom” and then the shot rounds hit his squad car. Another shot was fired after Richtsmeier moved the car farther away. The search for the suspect involved several agencies, including a National Guard helicopter, a Belmond Reserve airplane and the Iowa Falls K-9 unit. After a short standoff, the suspect was taken into custody in rural Hampton. 38-year-old Jeffrey Bertram of Dumont (DOO-mont) is being held in the Hampton jail. Charges include: terrorism, third-degree burglary, assault on a peace officer, two counts of armed with intent, interference with official acts, intimidation with a firearm, and three counts of criminal mischief.
