MASON CITY – A wanted man who has been a handful for police in recent years was caught as he cruised around Mason City late Saturday night.
James Robert Hayes Vierkant, age 22, was pulled over for a traffic violation by Mason City police just before midnight Saturday night as he drove near Pennsylvania Avenue and State Street. Vierkant was arrested, however, as he was wanted on a warrant for violating the state’s sex offender registry. He is supposed to be living in Clear Lake, but police list him with a Charles City address.
Also, currently, Vierkant is awaiting an April 7 trial for stealing in Mason City, where he was sent to live in a halfway house nearly 4 years ago after a dangerous chase.
On Wednesday, August 15, 2012, Vierkant was riding his motorcycle in Charles City when he refused to stop for a police officer. He zoomed away, allegedly running several stop signs and driving recklessly. He was caught only when a Floyd county sheriff’s deputy caught him as he ran away on foot. He later pled guilty to eluding and was sent to live in Beje Clark halfway house in Mason City. He later escaped and was on the run for several days before Mason city police caught him.
In addition to other crimes, earlier that year in Chickasaw county, he eluded law enforcement as he ran stop signs, accelerated above the speed limit, and failed to control his vehicle. He was caught and charged with several crimes.
Vierkant is on the state’s sex offender registry due to a crime committed in Montana when he was 12 years old. He has been charged before with being in violation of the sex offender registry.
Vierkant remains held in the county jail on bond, awaiting an April 1 court date on the sex offender registry violation.
