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712.5 Reckless use of fire or explosives.
Any person who shall so use fire or any incendiary or explosive device
or material as to recklessly endanger the property or safety of another shall
be guilty of a serious misdemeanor.
321.231 Authorized emergency vehicles and police bicycles.
1. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency
call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected perpetrator of a felony
or in response to an incident dangerous to the public or when responding to
but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set
forth in this section.
2. The driver of any authorized emergency vehicle, may:
a. Park or stand an authorized emergency vehicle, irrespective of the provisions
of this chapter.
b. Disregard laws or regulations governing direction of movement for the minimum
distance necessary before an alternative route that conforms to the traffic
laws and regulations is available.
3. The driver of a fire department vehicle, police vehicle, or ambulance,
or a peace officer riding a police bicycle in the line of duty may do any
of the following:
a. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing
down as may be necessary for safe operation.
b. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as the driver does not endanger
life or property.
4. The exemptions granted to an authorized emergency vehicle under subsection
2 and for a fire department vehicle, police vehicle, or ambulance as provided
in subsection 3 shall apply only when such vehicle is making use of an audible
signaling device meeting the requirements of section 321.433 or a visual signaling
device, except that use of an audible or visual signaling device shall not
be required when exercising the exemption granted under subsection 3, paragraph
"b" of this section when the vehicle is operated by a peace officer,
pursuing a suspected violator of the speed restrictions imposed by or pursuant
to this chapter, for the purpose of determining the speed of travel of such
suspected violator.
5. The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized
emergency vehicle or the rider of a police bicycle from the duty to drive
or ride with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions
protect the driver or rider from the consequences of the driver's or rider's
reckless disregard for the safety of others.
321.324 Operation on approach of emergency vehicles.
Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle with any lamp
or device displaying a red light or red and blue lights, or an authorized
emergency vehicle of a fire department displaying a blue light, or when the
driver is giving audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle, or bell, the driver
of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately
drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right hand
edge or curb of the highway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain
in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except
when otherwise directed by a police officer. For the purposes of this section,
"red light" or "blue light" means a light or lighting
device that, when illuminated, will exhibit a solid flashing or strobing red
or blue light.
Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle, as above stated, the
driver of every streetcar shall immediately stop such car clear of any intersection
and keep it in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed,
except when otherwise directed by a police officer.
This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an authorized emergency
vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons
using the highway.
321.367 Following fire apparatus.
The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow
any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five
hundred feet or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where fire
apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
321.368 Crossing fire hose.
No vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of a fire department
when laid down on any street, private driveway, or streetcar track, to be
used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the fire department
official in command.
321.423 Flashing lights.
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
a. "Emergency medical care provider" means as defined in section
147A.1.
b. "Fire department" means a paid or volunteer fire protection service
provided by a benefited fire district under chapter 357B or by a county, municipality
or township, or a private corporate organization that has a valid contract
to provide fire protection service for a benefited fire district, county,
municipality, township or governmental agency.
c. "Member" means a person who is a member in good standing of a
fire department or a person who is an emergency medical care provider employed
by an ambulance, rescue, or first response service.
2. Prohibited lights. A flashing light on or in a motor vehicle is prohibited
except as follows:
a. On an authorized emergency vehicle.
b. On a vehicle as a means of indicating a right or left turn, a mechanical
failure, or an emergency stop or intent to stop.
c. On a motor vehicle used by a rural mail carrier when stopping or stopped
on or near a highway in the process of delivering mail, if such a light is
any shade of color between white and amber and if it is mounted as a dome
light on the roof of the vehicle.
d. On a vehicle being operated under an excess size permit issued under chapter
321E.
e. A flashing blue light on a vehicle upon which a blue light is permitted
pursuant to subsection 3 of this section.
f. A flashing white light is permitted on a vehicle pursuant to subsection
7.
g. A white flashing strobe light mounted on a school bus as permitted under
section 321.373, subsection 7.
3. Blue light. A blue light shall not be used on any vehicle except for the
following:
a. A vehicle owned or exclusively operated by a fire department.
b. A vehicle authorized by the chief of the fire department if the vehicle
is owned by a member of the fire department, the request for authorization
is made by the member on forms provided by the department, and necessity for
authorization is demonstrated in the request.
c. An authorized emergency vehicle, other than a vehicle described in paragraph
"a" or "b", if the blue light is positioned on the passenger
side of the vehicle and is used in conjunction with a red light positioned
on the driver side of the vehicle.
A person shall not use only a blue light on a vehicle unless the vehicle meets
the requirements of paragraph "a" or "b".
4. Expiration of authority. The authorization shall expire at midnight on
the thirty-first day of December five years from the year in which it was
issued, or when the vehicle is no longer owned by the member, or when the
member has ceased to be an active member of the fire department or of an ambulance,
rescue, or first response service, or when the member has used the blue or
white light beyond the scope of its authorized use. A person issued an authorization
under subsection 3, paragraph "b", shall return the authorization
to the fire chief upon expiration or upon a determination by the fire chief
or the department that the authorization should be revoked.
5. When used. The certificate of authorization shall be carried at all times
with the certificate of registration of the authorized vehicle and the operator
of the vehicle shall not illuminate the blue or white light except in any
of the following circumstances:
a. When the member is en route to the scene of a fire or is responding to
an emergency in the line of duty requiring the services of the member.
b. When the authorized vehicle is transporting a person requiring emergency
care.
c. When the authorized vehicle is at the scene of an emergency.
d. The use of the blue or white light in or on a private motor vehicle shall
be for identification purposes only.
6. Amber flashing light. A farm tractor, farm tractor with towed equipment,
self-propelled implement of husbandry, road construction or maintenance vehicle,
road grader, or other vehicle principally designed for use off the highway
which, when operated on a primary or secondary road, is operated at a speed
of thirty-five miles an hour or less, shall be equipped with and display an
amber flashing light visible from the rear at any time from sunset to sunrise.
If the amber flashing light is obstructed by the towed equipment, the towed
equipment shall also be equipped with and display an amber flashing light
as required under this subsection. All vehicles specified in this subsection
which are manufactured for sale or sold in this state shall be equipped with
an amber flashing light in accordance with the standards of the American society
of agricultural engineers.
7. Flashing white light. Except as provided in section 321.373, subsection
7, and subsection 2, paragraph "c" of this section, a flashing white
light shall only be used on a vehicle in the following circumstances:
a. On a vehicle owned or exclusively operated by an ambulance, rescue, or
first response service.
b. On a vehicle authorized by the director of public health when all of the
following apply:
(1) The vehicle is owned by a member of an ambulance, rescue, or first response
service.
(2) The request for authorization is made by the member on forms provided
by the Iowa department of public health.
(3) Necessity for authorization is demonstrated in the request.
(4) The head of an ambulance, rescue, or first response service certifies
that the member is in good standing and recommends that the authorization
be granted.
c. On an authorized emergency vehicle.
The Iowa department of public health shall adopt rules to establish issuance
standards, including allowing local emergency medical service providers to
issue certificates of authorization, and shall adopt rules to establish certificate
of authorization revocation procedures.
321.433 Sirens, whistles, and bells prohibited.
A vehicle shall not be equipped with and a person shall not use upon a vehicle
any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
It is permissible but not required that any commercial vehicle be equipped
with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot be used
by the driver as an ordinary warning signal. Any authorized emergency vehicle
may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound audible
under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred feet,
but the siren, whistle, or bell shall not be used except when the vehicle
is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of
an actual or suspected violator of the law, and the driver of the vehicle
shall sound the siren, whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians
and other drivers of the approach of the vehicle.
719.1 Interference with official acts.
1. A person who knowingly resists or obstructs anyone known by the person
to be a peace officer, emergency medical care provider under chapter 147A,
or fire fighter, whether paid or volunteer, in the performance of any act
which is within the scope of the lawful duty or authority of that officer,
emergency medical care provider under chapter 147A, or fire fighter, whether
paid or volunteer, or who knowingly resists or obstructs the service or execution
by any authorized person of any civil or criminal process or order of any
court, commits a simple misdemeanor. In addition to any other penalties, the
punishment imposed for a violation of this subsection shall include assessment
of a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars. However, if a person
commits an interference with official acts, as defined in this subsection,
and in so doing inflicts bodily injury other than serious injury, that person
commits an aggravated misdemeanor. If a person commits an interference with
official acts, as defined in this subsection, and in so doing inflicts or
attempts to inflict serious injury, or displays a dangerous weapon, as defined
in section 702.7, or is armed with a firearm, that person commits a class
"D" felony.
2. A person under the custody, control, or supervision of the department of corrections who knowingly resists, obstructs, or interferes with a correctional officer, agent, employee, or contractor, whether paid or volunteer, in the performance of the person's official duties, commits a serious misdemeanor. If a person violates this subsection and in so doing commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, the person commits an aggravated misdemeanor. If a person violates this subsection and in so doing inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily injury other than serious injury to another, displays a dangerous weapon, as defined in section 702.7, or is armed with a firearm, the person commits a class "D" felony. If a person violates this subsection and uses or attempts to use a dangerous weapon, as defined in section 702.7, or inflicts serious injury to another, the person commits a class "C" felony.
3. The terms "resist" and "obstruct", as used in this section, do not include verbal harassment unless the verbal harassment is accompanied by a present ability and apparent intention to execute a verbal threat physically.
Section History: Early form
[C51, § 2669; R60, § 4296; C73, § 3960; C97, § 4899; C24,
27, 31, 35, 39, § 13331; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §
742.1; C79, 81, § 719.1]
Section History: Recent form
84 Acts, ch 1246, § 4; 91 Acts, ch 219, §22; 95 Acts, ch 90, §
4; 96 Acts, ch 1034, § 63; 99 Acts, ch 153, §21
708.3A Assaults on peace officers, jailers, correctional
staff, fire fighters, and health care providers.
1. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, against a
peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter,
whether paid or volunteer, with the knowledge that the person against whom
the assault is committed is a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health
care provider, or fire fighter and with the intent to inflict a serious injury
upon the peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider,
or fire fighter, is guilty of a class "D" felony.
2. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, against a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter, whether paid or volunteer, who knows that the person against whom the assault is committed is a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter and who uses or displays a dangerous weapon in connection with the assault, is guilty of a class "D" felony.
3. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, against a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter, whether paid or volunteer, who knows that the person against whom the assault is committed is a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter, and who causes bodily injury or mental illness, is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor.
4. Any other assault, as defined in section 708.1, committed against a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter, whether paid or volunteer, by a person who knows that the person against whom the assault is committed is a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, health care provider, or fire fighter, is a serious misdemeanor.
5. As used in this section, "health care provider" means an emergency medical care provider as defined in chapter 147A or a person licensed or registered under chapter 148, 148C, 148D, 150, 150A, or 152 who is providing or who is attempting to provide emergency medical services, as defined in section 147A.1, or who is providing or who is attempting to provide health services as defined in section 135.61 in a hospital. A person who commits an assault under this section against a health care provider in a hospital, or at the scene or during out-of-hospital patient transportation in an ambulance, is presumed to know that the person against whom the assault is committed is a health care provider.
6. As used in this section, "correctional staff" means a person who is not a peace officer but who is employed by the department of corrections or a judicial district department of correctional services to work at or in a correctional institution, community-based correctional facility, or an institution under the management of the Iowa department of corrections which is used for the purposes of confinement of persons who have committed public offenses.
7. As used in this section, "jailer" means a person who is employed by a county or other political subdivision of the state to work at a county jail or other facility used for purposes of the confinement of persons who have committed public offenses, but who is not a peace officer.
Section History: Recent form
95 Acts, ch 90, §3; 96 Acts, ch 1069, § 1; 98 Acts, ch 1026, §2;
99 Acts, ch 64, §1
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