Attorney accused of using semi truck as deadly weapon against city councilman, wife

New information has been released regarding an attorney accused of attempting to run over a city councilman and his wife in a semi truck. 

The incident happened back in July of 2020 in Council Grove, Kansas, but new information regarding the incident was released in June of 2022. 

According to KSNT News, Attorney Steven D. Iverson was driving a semi truck and was stopped at the intersection of Kansas Highway 177 and Highway 4 around 9:10 p.m. when Council Grove councilman Keith Wessel and his wife Alicia Wessel pulled up behind him in their car. The Wessel’s then waited behind the rig as it turned south onto Highway 177 and followed behind it on their route home. 

Eventually, Wessel passed the slow-moving semi truck at 30 to 35 miles per hour, but Iverson responded by suddenly accelerating and driving close behind the Wessel’s car before hitting the brakes again and blasting the horn. Iverson then repeated the process, causing Wessel to believe that the truck might hit his car. 

“I was so terrified that I honestly thought we were going to be killed,” said Alicia Wessel. 

Wessel then made a right turn onto a smaller road to escape the rig driven by Iverson. Wessel did not contact police until November 20th, after speaking with Iverson, who allegedly tried to intimidate the couple to prevent them from pressing charges. Iverson and a passenger in the semi truck, referred to only as Mr. Mcdonald, were arrested regarding the incident some time later. 

During the investigation, McDonald informed police that Iverson had intentionally tried to frighten the couple. “I believe these actions frightened the occupants of the vehicle that Iverson was following and that the semi-truck was being operated in an unsafe manner,” he said. Iverson also told police that he would not have done what he did had he known who the Wessel’s were.

Iverson is now facing two counts of aggravated assault, one count of interference with law enforcement, interference with the judicial process, intimidation of a witness or victim and reckless driving.

Iverson could face 11 to 34 months in prison, and up to a $100,000 fine for each of the aggravated assault charges. He could face five to 17 months in prison for the interference charge, and seven to 23 months in county jail for the intimidation charge.