Police apprehend double homicide suspect after chase, gunfire

LOUISA COUNTY - Randy T. Zimmerman, 45, of Courtland, Minnesota, was arrested after a high-speed chase through Washington, Louisa and Muscatine counties on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Zimmerman is wanted in Minnesota for the suspected double-murder of a 50-year-old man and 32-year-old woman. He currently awaits extradition in the Louisa County jail. His bail is set at $5 million.

On Sunday afternoon, authorities received word of the suspect driving eastbound on Highway 92 in a 2013 black Toyota Camry. According to a press release from the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, his presence was made known by an automatic plate recognition system, which pinged him in Washington County. Louisa County and Muscatine County Deputies met Zimmerman, then being followed by a Washington County Deputy, near X43 and Highway 92.

Before the deputies could pull him over, Zimmerman took off at high speed. Across three counties, he led deputies of the three counties on a chase in excess of 100 miles per hour. Zimmerman fired a single round from a shotgun at the Deputies, but none were hit.

Law enforcement officers attempted to disable Zimmerman’s vehicle, though the first attempt at this failed and Zimmerman was able to drive his car out of a ditch. But the second attempt succeeded at immobilizing it, forcing Zimmerman’s Toyota Camry to slid into a ditch in rural Muscatine County. Zimmerman then ran into a field attempting to evade the deputies, but made it scarcely 60 yards before being apprehended.

Minnesota authorities will soon take Zimmerman back to Brown County, Minnesota. For now, he awaits them in the Louisa County Jail.

Call Marilyn Higgins at 319-368-8895 or email her at marilyn.higgins@southeastiowaunion.com