Le Mars, Iowa — A man that eluded law officers for several hours in Plymouth County has been apprehended.
Shortly after 3:30 PM on Saturday, August 29th, Le Mars officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a home there.
A suspect fled the scene just before officers got there. A broadcast was put out to other area law enforcement agencies about the suspect and the vehicle he was thought to be driving.
A short time later, about 4:10 PM, a Merrill Police Officer saw the suspect vehicle, and attempted a traffic stop in Merrill. The suspect did not initially comply but did eventually stop his vehicle in Merrill.
However, the suspect and the Merrill Officer had an altercation at that point. Authorities say the suspect fled on foot into a nearby cornfield and remained at large at that point.
The LeMars Police Department and the Merrill Police Department say that the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Hinton Police Department, and Plymouth County Conservation assisted them. An Iowa State Patrol airplane also assisted in attempting to locate the suspect.
Throughout the next 24 hours the Sheriff’s Office reports that they received numerous tips from citizens about someone walking in the area of K42 and 250th and in and around Merrill.
At about 5:05 PM on Sunday, deputies from the Plymouth and Sioux County Sheriff’s Office located the suspect behind Branum’s Oil in Merrill. The suspect was taken into custody at that time. The suspect has been identified as 52-year-old Randall Lee Hurlbut of Le Mars.
Hurlbut was taken to the Plymouth County Jail and charged by the Le Mars Police Department with the following; Second Degree Robbery, a class C Felony; Domestic Abuse and Assault, a class D Felony; Third Degree Theft, an aggravated misdemeanor; and Obstruction of emergency communications, a simple misdemeanor.
Charges are also pending with the Merrill Police Department for assault on a law enforcement officer.
