Stand-off on Interstate 35 in Worth County ends peacefully

NORTHWOOD — Interstate 35 in Worth County, near the Northwood exit, was closed for a couple of hours Tuesday afternoon as authorities negotiated with a motorist who’d been waving a gun at other vehicles. Officer Dana Knutson of the Iowa State Patrol says just before one o’clock, the Minnesota State Patrol started pursing a car.

“The subject was waving a gun at others. The pursuit crossed into Iowa and then stopped south of Highway 105. He refused to get out of the car and be taken into custody for a while,” Knutson says. “We had negotiators and tactical units involved in coming to a peaceful resolution.”

Both northbound and southbound Interstate-35 was closed as a precaution.

“Just trying to limit exposure to innocent bystanders,” the trooper says.

The man, 52-year-old Moses Cruz, was taken into custody and is being held in the Worth County jail awaiting arraignment on charges in Iowa. It is expected that he will face additional charges in Minnesota.