DAVENPORT, IOWA (February 2, 2022) — On 1 February, Scott Emergency Communications Center (SECC) received a call for a disturbance in the area of Lowes Home Improvement on Elmore Ave in Davenport. The caller was reporting a problem with terminating an employee of USIC (US Infrastructure Company) and retrieving company property, namely a vehicle. The terminated employee was refusing to return the company-issued vehicle, and threatened he was armed with a pistol and rifle. The vehicle taken was a white Chevy Colorado with USIC decals.
He fled the scene, but the company vehicle was equipped and tracked via GPS signal. The vehicle left Davenport and went north on HWY 61 into Clinton County. The vehicle returned to Scott County on Scott Park Road, where it was located by a deputy. The deputy followed the vehicle until additional backup units converged.
Units attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of the 24000 block of Utica Ridge Road/210th Ave. Units were advised the vehicle was equipped with OnStar and they were attempting to get the vehicle stopped remotely. The suspect failed to pull over, and a vehicular pursuit followed while attempting to get the vehicle stopped remotely. There were some technical difficulties and OnStar was not able to stop the vehicle remotely.
A Scott County Sheriff’s Deputy deployed stop sticks at the intersection of 210th St and 210th Ave. The deployment was successful with at least one tire struck. The vehicle continued southbound on Utica Ridge Road. The vehicle unexpectedly ran off the roadway to the east, entered the ditch, and struck a tree. This was just north of 7721 Utica Ridge Road, Davenport. Due to information received of him being armed with weapons, a felony stop was initiated. Additional resources and agencies were requested for assistance which included Davenport Police Department, Bettendorf Police Department, Eldridge Fire Department, and MEDIC Ambulance.
Attempts to communicate were unsuccessful. Units were assisted with the Armored BEARCAT vehicle from Bettendorf Police Department and were able to safely approach the vehicle. They were able to look inside and found the single occupant who appeared unresponsive. Units then approached the vehicle on foot and found the driver unresponsive from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. MEDIC Ambulance personnel evaluated the driver and determined he was deceased on-scene. A weapon was recovered from the vehicle.
The driver involved in the vehicle pursuit on 1 February has been identified as 41-year-old Robert John Ewoldt from Davenport Iowa.
