A traffic stop on Railroad Highway in Pottawattamie County, Tuesday afternoon, resulted in a pursuit and the driver bailing out of the car into a cornfield off 296th Street, west of Persia, in Harrison County. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker told KJAN News the incident began at around 1:30 or 1:45-p.m. when a deputy tried to stop a Chevy Cavalier for driving recklessly. The vehicle also reportedly had invalid or non-existent license plates.

The vehicle continued north on Railroad Highway, into Underwood before turning onto a gravel road and into Neola. The car then went north into Harrison County, where the driver abandoned the vehicle near a corn field, and took off on foot into the field. During the chase, the suspect vehicle nearly struck several other motorists.

Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in setting up a perimeter in an attempt to corral the suspect, who was described as being a male in his late teens or early 20’s, wearing red shorts and a baseball cap. The man was not believed to be armed.

Harrison County Sheriff Pat Sears told KJAN agencies involved in the search included: Deputies with the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office; The Iowa State Patrol and Dept. of Motor Vehicle Enforcement; the Harlan Police Department’s K9 unit, Shelby and Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Omaha Police helicopter Able 1.

The search was called-off at around 4:15-p.m. Authorities suspect the man may have called someone to pick him-up. Sheriff Danker says the car was impounded, and a warrant was being obtained to search the vehicle in hopes of finding the registered owner and/or possible driver. Early reports indicate the vehicle was not reported stolen.