Plymouth County, Iowa — Three law enforcement agencies from our part of northwest Iowa assisted the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office with a pursuit, search, and felony arrest on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024.
The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office tells us one of their deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a motor vehicle near Merrill that day due to traffic violations. They say the suspect vehicle failed to yield to the deputy’s emergency lights and audible siren leading to a motor vehicle pursuit. The pursuit then entered the city limits of Le Mars, where the Le Mars Police Department assisted in the pursuit. The pursuit continued northbound and eastbound on numerous county and state roads in Plymouth County. They tell us that at times, the speeds exceeded 95 miles per hour. They tell us the vehicle ultimately entered a level B road near Quest Avenue and 140th Street, about three miles north of Remsen. The vehicle traveled eastbound on 140th for a short amount of time before getting stuck in the mud.
Deputies say that when the vehicle came to a stop, the driver fled on foot. Numerous law enforcement officers from multiple agencies then created a perimeter around the suspect’s location. After officers had searched for an hour and a half, a drone was brought to the scene by the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office. The drone operator was able to locate the suspect lying down in the field. Two Plymouth County Deputies along with a Le Mars Police Department K9 Officer were then able to apprehend the suspect and take him into custody. The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Geoffrey Oolman of Spirit Lake. He was transported to the Plymouth County Jail by the Le Mars Police Department.
At the Plymouth County Jail, Oolman was investigated for operating while intoxicated. Upon completion of the investigation, it was found that Oolman was operating his motor vehicle under the influence of a drug other than alcohol. Oolman was then booked into the Plymouth County Jail on charges of eluding 2nd offense (a class C felony), possession of a controlled substance 3rd or subsequent offense (a class d felony), and several misdemeanor charges.
The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office tells us the Le Mars Police Department, the Remsen Police Department, the Orange City Police Department, the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Police Department, and the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the response to the incident.
