712 Digital Group - top

(Update 9:50-a.m.): Alleged car thief in custody

News

October 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A man whom authorities say stole a car from a Nebraska used car dealership is in custody after leading law enforcement officials on a chase Tuesday morning in Pottawattamie County. Sheriff Jeff Danker told KJAN News 52-year old Fred McCormick, of Crescent, was taken into custody about six and a-half hours after the pursuit began. McCormick was being held in the Pott. County Jail on charges of Theft in the 2nd degree, eluding and Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $5,000.

Danker said the incident began at around 10-a.m., Tuesday, after the owners of a red Chevy Cavalier tracked the vehicle by using a GPS unit. He said deputies were dispatched to meet with an individual who had located the stolen car in the Crescent area. While the deputies were responding, Pott. County Conservation officers initiated a pursuit, which went north of Crescent, turned onto Leisure Avenue and drove off into a corn field.

The driver took off on foot. Several law enforcement agencies including at least seven k-9 units engaged in a search for the driver, but the hilly, wooded terrain in the area made the search difficult. Adding to the difficulty in finding the man, was an unharvested corn crop, cloud cover and a light mist.

The manhunt was called-off at around 2:30-p.m., after search teams lost the trail in a corn field. Danker says the suspect was observed at around 4:30-p.m. walking along Old Lincoln Highway. He was then taken into custody and charged.