–The report of an assault in Estherville Thursday evening led to a traffic stop near Algona where a West Bend man and an Armstrong woman were taken into custody on a host of charges.
According to the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies conducted the stop along Highway 18, near the intersection with 80th avenue, just west of Algona around 6 PM Thursday. Deputies had received a report from Emmet County, identifying the occupants of the vehicle as suspects in an assault that had occurred just an hour before.
Police in Estherville received the report of an assault just after 5 PM Thursday, with the victim identifying the suspects as 33-year-old Michael Paul Ellison of West Bend and 30-year-old Josephine Townsend Cole of Armstrong. The victim told police the suspects had fled the scene in a gray mini-van and could be headed towards the Algona area. Police believe Cole lured the victim outside of his apartment where he was then allegedly assaulted by Ellison. The victim sustained multiple severe injuries and was transported by EMS personnel to Avera Holy Family Hospital in Estherville.
After stopping the vehicle, Deputies conducted a search, which resulted in charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana (1st offense) against Cole and Possession of a Controlled Substance-2nd offense against Ellison. They were booked into the Kossuth County Jail to await an initial court appearance. The couple is also facing multiple felony-level assault charges in Emmet County as a result of the incident earlier that evening.
