By: Matt Scher, matts@977thebolt.com
Gilmore City, IA — The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has released additional information regarding Tuesday evening’s shelter-in-place order near Gilmore City.
According to authorities, the incident began at approximately 6:12 p.m. when the Humboldt County Communications Center received reports of a male subject driving a 2020 Ram 2500 pickup erratically in the 1900 block of Birch Avenue while yelling at people.
Deputies located the vehicle about a mile from the reported location and attempted to make contact with the male driver. Authorities say the man was extremely agitated and refused to comply with commands. As additional officers arrived to assist, the driver allegedly backed up in an attempt to flee and struck a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office vehicle, causing minor damage.
The male subject then led law enforcement on a pursuit into a nearby grass field, where officers attempted to negotiate and de-escalate the situation. When those efforts were unsuccessful, he fled again.
A second pursuit followed through farm fields before the suspect drove onto a heavily wooded quarry property in Pocahontas County north of Gilmore City. Authorities say the man drove through dense timber and brush until the pickup became disabled. He then fled on foot.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, K-9 units and drone teams searched the wooded area until approximately 10:15 p.m., when the search was suspended because of darkness and difficult terrain. A shelter-in-place alert was subsequently issued for residents in the area.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to remain vigilant, keep homes and vehicles locked, remove keys from vehicles, and ensure firearms and other weapons are secured. Anyone who observes suspicious activity is urged to call 911 and not approach the individual.
Assisting agencies included the Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office, Pocahontas Police Department, Humboldt Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Humboldt County Emergency Management, Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt Ambulance and the Gilmore City Fire Department.
The male subject remained at-large as of the Sheriff’s Office Wednesday morning update. The investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.