EARLY, IOWA – A wanted man with a gun was chased into the Northern Iowa area, and police went to lengths not to delete him, but the suspect saved them the trouble in the end.
On June 14, 2024 around 3:18 PM, the Sac County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a vehicle pursuit in Crawford County that was heading north toward Ida and Sac County. The suspect vehicle was identified as a Lincoln Navigator, which had been reported stolen out of Woodbury County earlier that morning. Information had been previously shared by Woodbury County that the suspect of the stolen vehicle was Jason Scott French of Manilla. French was wanted on a felony warrant out of South Dakota. It was reported to Woodbury County that French had a handgun on him and had made threats to harm officers.
As Crawford County terminated the pursuit, an Ida County Deputy located the suspect vehicle in southeastern Ida County and pursued this vehicle into southwestern Sac County. Pursuit of this vehicle continued northbound where attempts to stop the vehicle utilizing stop sticks were unsuccessful. Sac County deputies and Iowa State Patrol maintained the pursuit to the area of Jackson Avenue and 290th Street. The suspect vehicle continued into a field and came to rest in a ditch after impacting a fence. French was observed exiting the vehicle with a handgun. Attempts were initially made to communicate with French using a PA system.
Iowa State Patrol aircraft and Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office drones were utilized to make overheard observations of French’s movements. Crisis negotiators and tactical teams from Storm Lake/Buena Vista County were dispatched to the scene to assist. After approximately two hours, a gunshot was heard by law enforcement. Drone footage confirmed French was no longer moving. Several law enforcement agencies approached French, who was deceased with a handgun located nearby on the ground.
No shots were fired by Law enforcement. Preliminary autopsy results verify a contact gunshot wound to the head.
The Sac County Sheriff’s Office said they are greatly appreciative of mutual response by other agencies, including: Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Sac City Police Department, Lake View Police Department, Ida County Sheriffs Office, Buena Vista County Sheriffs Office, Storm Lake Police Department, Odebolt Fire Department, and Sac County EMS.
