Blakesburg Man Facing Multiple Charges After Pursuit
A Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
On Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021, at approximately 3:45 pm, the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office was asked to be on the lookout for a stolen 1990 blue Chevrolet pickup, that had been reported stolen out of Ottumwa. A few minutes later, the Sheriff’s Office was notified that the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office was engaged in a vehicle pursuit with this stolen truck, near the Kirkville, Iowa area of Wapello County.
Officials from the Mahaska County Sheriff’s office responded to the Southeast part of the county. The pursuit came into Mahaska County and Mahaska County Officials joined the Wapello County Officials in attempting to stop the driver, along with members of the Iowa State Patrol.
The vehicle pursuit went down several Mahaska County roads and back into Wapello County. This pursuit went south back thru Kirkville, past Chillicothe and into a bean field near the intersection of Power Plant Road and 225th Avenue, in rural Wapello County. When the suspect vehicle came back onto the highway, a Mahaska County Sheriff’s Official deployed a Patrol Intervention Technique to disable the suspect vehicle and put an end to this pursuit. During this pursuit, the suspect intentionally swerved at, sideswiped, and struck two State Patrol vehicles.
The driver of the suspect vehicle was identified as 42-year-old Brad William Barker of Blakesburg, Iowa. Barker was taken into custody, incarcerated in the Wapello County jail and charged with the following offences: Eluding/Attempting to elude Law Enforcement, Driving under suspension, 5 counts of Assault on a Police Officer, Theft 2nd degree, Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree, Assault while participating in a felony, Attempted burglary in the 3rd degree and multiple traffic offences. The suspect vehicle, two State Patrol vehicles and one Mahaska County patrol vehicle suffered damage during the incident. There were no personal injuries.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
