(Update to our report posted Saturday night)

A pickup truck being pursued by a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy crashed Saturday night, injuring two young men. Dispatch reports during the chase indicated the pickup reached speed of up to 100 miles per hour, but for the last few miles was about 75-80 mph on the gravel. The Iowa State Patrol reports 18-year old Justin Dickinson, of Harlan, was the driver of a 1994 Dodge Dakota pickup that went out of control and rolled over south of Jacksonville, at around 8:45-p.m.

The Patrol says the pickup, which was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed during the pursuit, entered the west ditch at the intersection of Shelby County Road M-56 and Highway 44. The vehicle hit an embankment before rolling over and coming to rest on its wheels. Dickinson, and his passenger, 17-year old Nicholas Haner, of Council Bluffs, both of whom were wearing seat belts, were injured during the crash and transported to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, by Medivac Ambulance.

While dispatch reports at the time of the crash said one of the males was critically injured and was to be flown to a trauma center, the State Patrol could not confirm that information early this (Sunday) morning. Harlan Fire and Rescue and deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Patrol at the crash scene.

Another, separate accident happened minutes later about two-miles north of Harlan on Linden Road, where a vehicle went into a ditch. No injuries were reported.

A traffic stop Saturday for a simple equipment violation in Fremont County resulted in one person being arrested on drug charges. The Sheriff’s Office says after the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit stopped a 2006 Dodge Status near the intersection of Manti Road and Airport Road near Shenandoah, a narcotics K9 was deployed and alerted to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle.

A passenger in the vehicle, 39-year old Nikki Garner, of Shenandoah, was arrested and transported to the Fremont County Jail.

Nikki Garner

Upon arrival to the jail, it was discovered that Garner was concealing controlled substances inside a body cavity and attempted to destroy the evidence at the jail.

She was arrested for: Possession of a controlled Substance (marijuana); Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Institution; Interference with Official Acts; 3 counts of Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Drug, and two counts of Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance.

Garner was being held on $11,300 bond. The Shenandoah Police Department assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the stop.

Rescue crews were called to the scene of a rollover accident near Jacksonville, in Shelby County. The accident happened during the pursuit of a pickup truck and ended at around 8:39-p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Highway 44 and M-56. The vehicle was occupied by two subjects. Speeds during the pursuit reached 100 miles per hour, but for the last few miles was about 75-80 mph on the gravel. One of the subjects, the 19-year old male driver of the vehicle, was said to be in critical condition. He was set to be flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter late Saturday night. The other person was freed from the vehicle by mechanical means and transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan.

There was no immediate word on the condition of the other subject. At least one of the subjects was trapped in the vehicle and extrication was called for. No other details are currently available. Watch this post for updates.

Another, separate accident happened minutes later about two-miles north of Harlan on Linden Road, where a vehicle went into a ditch. No injuries were reported.

Seven fire departments and numerous other agencies responded to fire late Friday night at the Flint Hills Resources ethanol plant, near Menlo. Menlo Fire Chief Ben Gilman told KJAN News the call came in at around 11:30-p.m. Friday, about a fire on a conveyor for an elevator at the plant. The fire was attributed to a mechanical failure of some sort, possibly a burned out bearing.

Crews from Stuart Fire and Rescue, Casey Fire, Greenfield Fire, Adair Fire, Guthrie Center Fire, Panora Fire and Dexter Fire, also with Deputies from the Guthrie County Sheriffs Office, and Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Manger Bob Kempf, all responded to the scene.

Menlo Fire was on location for about 3 1/2 hours. No injuries were reported. The damage was said to have been confined to the conveyor.