Iowa man sentenced for running over friend on motorcycle, shooting at victim’s girlfriend

ONAWA, Iowa (TCD) -- A 40-year-old Sioux City man was sentenced to 54 years in prison Friday for allegedly hitting a friend with his truck and shooting at the friend’s girlfriend one day after getting into a fight.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, on Dec. 27, 2020, Jayme Powell was driving southbound on I-29 when he allegedly fired "multiple rounds" at a car driven by Jaimi Bucholz and then hit Richard Polak’s motorcycle, which the Department of Public Safety alleges he did "intentionally."

Both Powell’s truck and Polak’s motorcycle ended up in a ditch. Polak was then transported to a hospital in critical condition. According to the criminal complaint, Powell allegedly fled the scene and stole two pickup trucks from two different residences. He was apprehended in Sioux City and investigators found one of the stolen trucks outside his residence.

Polak and Powell reportedly got into an altercation on Dec. 26, but the criminal complaint says no one was charged or arrested.

Powell was arrested and booked on two counts of attempted murder.

According to the Sioux City Journal, Powell was convicted in October of the attempted murder counts, two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon, two counts of operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

The two men were reportedly close friends before the accident, the Sioux City Journal reports. At his sentencing hearing, Powell told Polak, "I never meant for any of this to happen. I loved you like a brother."

The Sioux City Journal reports Powell will be eligible for parole after 35 years.

MORE: