FAYETTE COUNTY — A group of people attempting to pull a damaged vehicle out of a Northern Iowa ditch wound up attracting the attention of sheriff’s deputies Monday night, and one of those involved soon found himself headed to jail instead of home.
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the intersection of 30th Street and F Avenue at approximately 10:41 p.m. on Monday, October 12, 2026, after receiving a report of a vehicle in the ditch.
When officers arrived, several people were gathered around the vehicle, attempting to pull it out. But the investigation quickly uncovered more than a simple roadside mishap.
Deputies determined the vehicle had actually crashed the previous evening, Sunday, October 11, at approximately 8 p.m., when it went into the ditch and partially rolled over.
The driver was identified as 33-year-old Nicole Leanne Burgos of Lamont.
According to the sheriff’s office, Burgos was allegedly operating the vehicle despite having a suspended driver’s license. Authorities also determined she lacked the required SR-22 insurance documentation and had failed to maintain control of the vehicle.
Burgos was summoned to appear in court on charges of driving while suspended, driving without required SR-22 insurance and failure to maintain control.
Damage to her vehicle was estimated at $5,000.
Wanted man discovered at recovery scene
The investigation took another turn when deputies checked on 38-year-old Troy Christopher Miller, who was among the people at the scene.
Authorities discovered Miller had an outstanding Fayette County arrest warrant for failure to appear in connection with an original eluding charge.
Miller was arrested on the warrant and transported to the Fayette County Jail.
But deputies weren’t finished. Investigators also determined Miller had allegedly driven a separate vehicle to the accident scene despite having a suspended driver’s license.
He was additionally charged with driving while suspended. Miller was jailed, and still remains there at publish time of this story.
The sheriff’s office did not report any injuries in connection with the original rollover, and authorities did not disclose why the damaged vehicle remained in the ditch until the following evening.
Fayette County deputies continue traffic enforcement
The incident adds to a series of traffic investigations and arrests handled by Fayette County authorities in recent months.
In September, NorthIowaToday.com reported that a Northern Iowa motorist was nabbed on a third-offense OWI charge after deputies found his pickup in a ditch.
In another Fayette County case, deputies arrested a wanted Northern Iowa man after an alleged attempt to run down an officer and a flight through a bean field.
The latest incident resulted in one arrest and a court summons for another driver, all stemming from a vehicle that had rolled into a rural ditch more than 24 hours before deputies arrived.
Burgos and Miller are presumed innocent of the new allegations unless proven guilty in court.