Sheldon — A Sheldon man has been arrested on felony drug and traffic charges after a high-speed pursuit in and around Sheldon.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the O’Brien County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Sheldon Police Department, 40-year-old Nathan Silberstein of Sheldon is accused of eluding officers, reckless driving and possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested on Friday.
In his statement, the officer states that he attempted to stop Silberstein due to prior knowledge that he didn’t have a drivers license. The officer says Silberstein took off at a high rate of speed, and within the first 30 seconds of the pursuit Silberstein ran through two stop signs. The officer also accuses Silberstein of driving well over 25 mph over the speed limit on Washington Avenue as the pursuit passed multiple school-aged children on the sidewalk. He says Silberstein then ignored another stop sign at 16th Street. The officer says he then proceeded to go approximately 100 mph in a 55 mph zone. The officer says, “Once onto 350th Street, after almost putting his car in the ditch Silberstein went approximately 80 in a 55 mph zone. Once on Nest Avenue, he again went approximately 100 mph in a 55 mph zone. He then went through a stop sign without yielding.” The officer notes that the intersection was covered by corn on one side causing no visibility of cross traffic that had the right of way. He says Silberstein then ignored another residential stop sign while going approximately 90 mph. After Sheldon Police were unable to find him, the officer says the sheriff’s office received two 911 calls that he almost hit people on East 6th Street.
Silberstein was charged with three felony counts, including two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of eluding at more than 25 miles per hour over the limit, all class D felonies If convicted on the felonies alone, he could face up to five years in prison on each count. He also faces a laundry list of misdemeanor charges, according to the O’Brien County arrest log, including two counts of reckless driving, five counts of speeding, eight stop sign violations, no driver’s license, interference with official acts, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He faces a preliminary hearing on the charges on Tuesday, October 17th.
At last report, he remained in the O’Brien County Jail in Primghar in lieu of a $10,000 cash or surety bond.
