Keokuk County Sheriff arrested on charge of OWI

KEOKUK COUNTY - Iowa State Patrol Captain Mike Winter confirmed that Keokuk County Sheriff Jeff Shipley was arrested on a charge of operating while intoxicated at approximately 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening in Sigourney.

According to Winter, a State Trooper initially pulled over a vehicle for a minor violation. Upon contact, the Trooper found that Shipley was behind the wheel and appeared to have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

Shipley was arrested and taken to the Keokuk County Jail. He was later released on his own recognizance.

Washington County will be prosecuting the case as a way to avoid any potential conflict of interest, Winter said.

According to Washington County Assistant Attorney Shawn Showers, a Keokuk County judge will need to sign a motion to give the Washington County Attorney's Office permission to prosecute the case.

Showers expects that the process will be underway within a week or two.

No immediate comments regarding last night's arrest were being made by representatives of the Keokuk County Sheriff's Office.

On November 25, 2008, Shipley plead guilty to operating a motorboat while intoxicated. According to court records, Shipley had a blood-alcohol content of 0.214 at Coralville Lake's Mehaffey Bridge boat ramp on August 1, 2008.

On April 4, 2011, Shipley and two of his deputy officers were involved in a deadly shootout with a man at a farmhouse south of Sigourney.

Sgt. Eric Stein was shot and killed by Jeffrey A. Krier when Stein, Shipley and Chief Deputy Casey Hinnah went to Krier's home to ask him about a series of incidents from the preceding days.

Members of the Iowa State Patrol Tactical Unit shot and killed Krier after a three-hour standoff.

In all, officers fired 115 rounds and Krier got off 49.