Mason City man charged with attempted murder

CASEY––A Mason City man was charged with attempted murder after stabbing or cutting a female victim more than 10 times, with at least one wound causing potentially life-threatening injuries.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports at approximately 11:58 p.m. Sept. 24 a 911 call was received but initially there was nothing heard on the line. A short time later, a female was heard screaming “stop” repeatedly. Call mapping showed the call originating from a location on Interstate 80.

Approximately six minutes later, a passerby called 911 and reported some sort of altercation east of the Casey interchange, between a male and female, in or near the inside lane of travel near the eastbound mile marker 84 of the interstate and also reported seeing a 2002 Chevrolet S10 in the south ditch, just west of the individuals.

At approximately 12:06 a.m. law enforcement from Adair County Sheriff’s Office and Adair Police Department located a vehicle in the ditch at the reported location but did not immediately locate the man or woman. Later, yelling was heard east of the vehicle’s location, and a male subject, identified as Michael T. Dolezal, 50, of Mason City, was heard yelling “get up” and was found on his knees holding an adult female with what appeared to be blood on the ground near them.

Dolezal was immediately handcuffed. While he was being detained, the female staggered 10 yards to the west before laying down. Officers immediately performed life-saving medical treatment to the female, who told law enforcement Dolezal, who is related to her, was the person who had stabbed her. She was transported by air ambulance to a Des Moines hospital.

After the victim was transported, a K9 at the scene completed an open-air sniff of Dolezal’s truck and alerted to the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle resulted a small plastic bag on the driver’s side floorboard which contained a crystalline substance. The substance field tested postive for methamphetamine. Dolezal has at least two prior possession convictions.

Dolezal was charged with attempted murder and possession of a controlled substance - methamphetamine, third or subsequent offense. At his initial appearance in Adair County District Court, his bond was set at $300,000 cash only.

First responders assisting with the critical incident include the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and Communications Center, Adair Police Department, Stuart Police Department, Adair Rescue, Stuart Rescue and Adair County Ambulance.

The incident remains under investigation.