RURAL CERRO GORDO COUNTY – A Minnesota man was caught and arrested after he allegedly car-jacked a vehicle and drove south into Northern Iowa.
At approximately 2:45 PM on Friday, June 22, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office received information from Steele County of an attempted carjacking involving a firearm. The incident took place at Casey’s in Ellendale at the intersection of Highway 30 and I-35.
The suspect vehicle from Casey’s was described as a black Honda Accord with a dark skinned male as passenger and a female driver. The vehicle was reported as going southbound on I-35.
Deputies from the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Albert Lea Police Department deployed in areas to watch southbound I-35 for the suspect vehicle.
At approx. 3:01 PM, the Albert Lea, Minnesota police department received a complaint of a stolen black Expedition from 2340 Crossroads Blvd. It was reported the subject who stole the Expedition had driven a vehicle onto the property and had stolen the Expedition.
The vehicle that had been left at the location was a dark blue Hyundai that was found to have been reported stolen from Eagan, MN. The driver was described as a dark skinned male, was the lone occupant in the blue Hyundai, and was the sole person who entered the black Expedition.
Civilians at the scene followed the stolen vehicle from the property and onto southbound I-35 were in communication with the Law Enforcement dispatch via phone, giving out the location of the stolen vehicle. Officers of the ALPD and Deputies of the FCSO attempted to catch up to the stolen vehicle and the civilians following the vehicle before it entered Iowa. But, because of the speed the stolen vehicle was traveling, they were unable to catch up before the Iowa state line.
Iowa State Patrol Troopers were able to catch up to the stolen vehicle at approximately the same time as the Minnesota officers caught up with the stolen vehicle. The driver of the vehicle fled from the Iowa and Minnesota officers when emergency lights were activated. Iowa State Patrol was the primary department involved in the chase with two Freeborn County deputies and one Albert Lea Police Officer assisting.
During the chase, the suspect drove at speeds up to 100 mph. The suspect caused one accident involving an unrelated civilian vehicle when the suspect attempted to avoid stop spikes deployed by the Iowa Troopers. The deployment of stop spikes was the first of two deployments by the Iowa Troopers.
At approx. mile marker 196 southbound I-35 the black Expedition rolled over in the median ending the pursuit. Suspect was taken into custody without incident. He was the lone occupant of the vehicle. Iowa State Patrol is continuing the investigation.
At least two Iowa State Patrol vehicles were damaged during the pursuit.
Taken into custody by Iowa State Patrol was 32-year-old Jacob Aaron Eberly of Little Falls, MN. After Iowa completes their investigation they will have charges on Eberly. He is facing charges in Albert Lea for Motor Vehicle Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, and Driving after Revocation.
It is unknown at this time if the incident in Ellendale is related to the incident in Albert Lea and Iowa.
Assisting at the accident/arrest scene were Cerro Gordo county sheriff’s office, Clear Lake fire and EMS and Iowa DOT.
