An Ottumwa man is in custody after a brief chase following a traffic stop, according to the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office.
Ricardo Rodriguez, 48, was charged with a controlled substance violation (Class C felony), eluding (Class D felony), interference with official acts (simple misdemeanor), and providing false identification (simple misdemeanor).
On August 4th at approximately 11:35 PM, court records say a 2016 Buick Encore driven by Rodriguez was pulled over by deputies on the 600 block of East Main Street in Ottumwa because the headlights were off.
While authorities were trying to determine Rodriguez’s identity, Rodriguez allegedly drove away. Deputies pursued Rodriguez northbound on Jefferson Street at speeds exceeding 60 mph in a 30 MPH zone, according to court documents.
The criminal complaint states that Rodriguez lost control of his vehicle and then fled on foot. Rodriguez allegedly failed to follow verbal instructions and physically resisted law enforcement’s attempts to apprehend him. Once he was captured, the sheriff’s office says Rodriguez had two bindles of heroin (weighing 0.4 and 0.1 grams, respectively) in his possession.
Rodriguez was arrested. Court filings say he gave a deputy an inaccurate birthdate when asked.
Rodriguez is currently in the Wapello County Jail on a $15,000 bond. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 14th.
