On Sunday February 4th at approximately 5:55 pm, Panora EMS, Guthrie Center Fire Department, and the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office were summoned to Highway 44 west of Guthrie Center between Frost Trail and Frontier Road, following a report of a head-on collision. Upon arrival, medical aid was rendered to the occupants of the two vehicles. Troopers from the Iowa State Patrol responded to assist and handled the collision investigation. Illegal items were located in a vehicle that had been operated by Tyler Ollerich, of Urbandale. A preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle operated by Ollerich crossed the center yellow line, the opposite lane of traffic and struck a vehicle proceeding in the opposite direction.

Ollerich was arrested by a Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputy and transported to the Guthrie County Jail. The Sheriff’s Dept. says Ollerich refused to cooperate with an OWI investigation, and a search warrant was applied for and executed. A urine specimen was obtained from Ollerich as well as a drug toxicology report, is pending at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Lab. Ollerich was booked into the Guthrie County Jail on numerous charges including: OWI/3rd Offense – Drug Impairment; Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Offense x3/Clonazapam, Alprazolam, and Marijuana; a Drug Tax Stamp Violation; Driving While Barred; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving on a Suspended License. Ollerich was being held in the Guthrie County Jail on a $5,000 cash only bond.

And, at around 8-p.m. on February 4th, Joel Carroll, of Urbandale, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd Offense – Methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Carroll had been reported walking on Highway 4 north of Panora near 190th Street. When a deputy responded to the area, Carroll was located and through investigation was subsequently arrested. He appeared before the Guthrie County Magistrate and was ordered held on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

On February 7th at approximately 12:15-p.m., Panora EMS and the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office were summoned to St. Gregory’s Recovery Center in Bayard on a report of two individuals experiencing a medical emergency. After investigation, a search warrant was executed at St. Gregory’s Recovery Center. During the execution of the search warrant, suspected counterfeit pills were located within the facility. The counterfeit pills are believed to contain fentanyl. The recovered pills have been sent to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Laboratory in Ankeny and the matter remains under investigation. Criminal charges are pending at this time.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says “As a public service announcement, no one should ever take a pill or capsule they did not directly receive from a doctor’s office or pharmacy. Counterfeit pills laced with deadly drugs like fentanyl are increasingly present in Guthrie County and all residents should know that “one pill can kill”.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, on Thursday, February 8th at approximately 8:52-p.m., Nakia Toang of Denison, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. She was taken into custody following a traffic stop on Highway 141 near Talon Avenue and transported to the Guthrie County Jail, where her cash or surety bond was set at $1,000.

Note: Criminal charges are merely accusations. All suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.