Iowa man steals tractor, rams it into city hall, police say

HARRISON COUNTY, Iowa — Instead of fighting city hall, a western Iowa man allegedly decided to damage it.

A man allegedly stole a tractor and damaged vehicles, fences, playground equipment and building that houses Pisgah City Hall, authorities said.

According to a news release from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Craig Arnold Hardy, 59, of Moorhead, was arrested on June 21. He was charged with first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree theft, assault on law enforcement and driving with a barred license.

The sheriff’s office said that a dispatcher received a call at about 2:16 a.m. CDT on June 21 about a man, later identified as Hardy, operating a farm tractor in the city limits of Pisgah. Witnesses said the man barreled into vehicles and damaged the playground before ramming the tractor into the closed garage doors at City Hall, KCCI-TV reported.

According to the sheriff’s office, a resident was able to remove the key from the tractor to turn the engine off. Hardy then allegedly dismounted from the tractor and fled. He was eventually apprehended by law enforcement officials, according to the television station.

An investigation revealed that Hardy had stolen the tractor from a farm outside of Magnolia, a city located approximately 12 miles south of Pisgah, KCCI reported.

Authorities estimated that Hardy caused approximately $10,000 worth of damage, according to the television station. He was arrested and transported to the Harrison County Jail, the sheriff’s office said.

© 2024 Cox Media Group