Man Claiming Terrorist Ties Allegedly Threatens West Des Moines Insurance Office

Employees of a West Des Moines insurance company told police they'll remain alert today after an Arizona man claiming ties to Middle Eastern terrorists and access to weapons allegedly threatened to settle in person his dispute over a casualty claim.

According to a report on file at the , the suspect, a 58-year-old man who lives in Cordes Lakes, AZ, allegedly threatened to come to the West Des Moines Chartis Insurance claims office and harm employees after they refused to increase a $500 settlement for damage caused when tire tread flew from a Chartis-insured garbage truck and hit his vehicle.

Chartis employees Richard Jones and Susan Hanlin told Police Officer Jason Heintz that they don’t think the man will follow through on his threats but wanted a record of conversations with him as a precaution.

The man, who claimed to have a $9,000 estimate to repair his vehicle, reportedly said that he would visit the business either Tuesday or today after first going to pick up his son, who he claimed is a soldier who had been wounded and was recovering Georgia.

Jones and Hanlin said that when they talked to the adjuster who had met with the man in Arizona to inspect his vehicle, “He said they should take his threats seriously, as he thinks he is mentally unstable or crazy,” according to Heintz’s report.

The Chartis adjuster reportedly told Jones and Hanlin that while he was at the man’s residence, he “kept making anti-government and anti-America statements and talking about how he has ties to terrorism in the Middle East with his sons.”

The threats reportedly escalated on June 12, when Jones and Hanlin had another telephone conversation with the man. Police were notified of the threats on June 15.

“He stated that he will harm them, and he has access to government-issued weapons that would get the job done," Heintz wrote.

Heintz told Jones and Hanlin that they should report the alleged harassment to Arizona authorities, and that the adjuster should file harassment charges, as well.

The Chartis employees said they were looking into hiring off-duty police officers for security on the days the man allegedly targeted the office.