RURAL PALO ALTO COUNTY, IOWA – A Northern Iowa couple was caught at an alleged crime scene and ran from police into a corn and then a bean field, where they hid for hours until the were hunted down and placed in cages.
On September 21, 2017 at 9:26 AM, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office received a call concerning two subjects that were found on the property at 5581 350th Street. As the Deputy was enroute to the location, the reporting party advised that the two subjects fled the property in a black Suburban. The reporting party continued to follow the suburban and gave the locations to dispatch, which was then relayed to the deputy. At 9:39 A.M. the driver of the suburban was attempting to turn west onto 330th Street from 490th Avenue and subsequently rolled the vehicle onto it’s side at that intersection.
Two subjects exited the suburban and entered the cornfield on the northwest corner of that intersection. The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office was able to set up a perimeter with Officers from the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Emmetsburg Police Department, and the Palo Alto County Emergency Management. Once the perimeter was set up, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office requested aerial assistance from the Iowa State Patrol and Drones from the Kossuth County Emergency Management. The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office also requested a K-9 unit from the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office.
At 11:30 A.M. a plane with the Iowa State Patrol arrived at the location and started an air support search for the two subjects. At 11:51 A.M. law enforcement officials entered the cornfield and started a foot search for the two subjects. The search continued and at 1:15 P.M. Kossuth County Emergency Management and an Algona Police Department Officer started to search and support officer’s in the cornfield with the two Drones.
At 5:03 P.M. the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a resident on 330th Street advising that two subjects had exited the cornfield and were running west through a beanfield in the 4900 Block of 330th Street. Officials converged on the area and located Tracy Maurice McCallum (31) of Ruthven and Samie Jean Royster (34) of Ruthven hiding in the bean field.
Both McCallum and Royster were taken into custody and following an investigation at the property at 5581 350th Street, both McCallum and Royster were charged with 2nd Degree Theft, a Class D Felony, 4th Degree Criminal Mischief, a Serious Misdemeanor, Interference With Official Acts, a Simple Misdemeanor and Trespassing, a Simple Misdemeanor.
McCallum was also charged with Driving Without a Valid License and Failure to Maintain Control, both Simple Misdemeanors.
The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office wishes to thank all the above agencies that assisted with this investigation and search. The Sheriff’s Office also appreciates the concern and understanding of the affected residence.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Hilarious, we have a State Patrol plane, drones, a K-9 and multiple agencies searching for them and a passerby calls in say’s, “um, your suspect is right here in the bean field.” This story is priceless.
not very funny to the kids of the suspect how do think they feel when is one of their parents and now the get messed with because of was happened think about that
No just when were they “inserted into cages”?