Suspect arrested in high-speed chase by Protivin

HOWARD COUNTY - On Thursday, Oct. 28 at 7:29 a.m., the Howard County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a citizen who was following three pickups, two Chevys and one Dodge, that attempted to steal a trailer from Elma. The caller stated the pickups looked like they had other items in the beds of the trucks that could possibly be stolen.

The caller, along with several other vehicles followed the three pickups east of Elma on gravel roads at a high rate of speed. Eventually the caller lost two of the Chevy pickups and kept following the Dodge. A deputy was dispatched to try to intercept the suspect vehicle, but the deputy was out of position.

Sheriff Tim Beckman came on duty as the vehicles were approaching Protivin from the west. At 7:57 a.m., Beckman positioned his squad car in the east-bound lane of 200th St. near York Ave., with full emergency lights on as to try to stop the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle attempted to go around Sheriff Beckman’s squad car in the westbound lane. Beckman then made contact with the suspect vehicle to get it to stop.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested without incident and identified as 42-year-old Jesse James Devlaeminck from Rochester, Minn.

The 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 he was driving was reported stolen out of Fillmore County, Minn.

Devlaeminck was charged with 1st degree theft, reckless driving and cited by the Iowa State Patrol for no valid driver’s license, passing contrary to highway markings, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and fraudulent use of registration.

The Dodge Ram pickup received minor damage and the 2016 Ford Utility Interceptor owned by Howard County received disabling damage. Neither party received injuries from the crash. Assisting the Howard County Sheriff’s Office at the scene was the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State patrol and Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement.

This is an ongoing investigation, and more charges are expected as well as more defendants.