Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in an incident that took place Friday afternoon and into the evening in Wayne and Stanton counties, north of Pilger.
The following information was provided by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office:
"On the evening of Sept. 20, a Wayne County Deputy Sheriff was investigating a burglary that resulted in the theft of a motor vehicle. During the course of the investigation, the Deputy located the missing vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. The suspect exited the vehicle and fled on foot into nearby fields to elude capture.
"A search was conducted with law enforcement officers, a Nebraska State Patrol K-9, and drones. The suspect was located in a field and apprehended."
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanton County Emergency Management, the Wayne Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol (including K-9 and drone operators), and the Pilger Fire Department.
The incident remains under investigation.
Earlier, the Stanton County Sheriff's Office provided the following information:
"At about 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon the Stanton County Sheriff’s office was notified of a reckless and speeding vehicle eastbound on Highway 275 east of Spurville. Shortly after the Sheriff’s office observed the speeding vehicle eastbound on Highway 275 and clocked it at 118 mph in the 65mph zone. The vehicle then fled east at high speeds while a pursuit was initiated on Highway 275.
" The vehicle then turned north onto 574th Avenue at the Pilger spur and continued to flee at high speeds on the gravel road and even passed another northbound car by going around in the ditch. The vehicle continued north until he lost control at the Stanton-Wayne County line and crashed into the north ditch. The male driver then fled shirtless wearing blue jeans into tall standing corn and fled on foot.
"As additional Sheriff units arrived a perimeter was attempted in the vast area of cornfields. It was during this time an approximate six-year-old male exited the cornfield near the crashed vehicle and advised he had been a passenger in the vehicle and was left in the field by the driver who he advised was his father.
"The driver was identified by the Sheriff’s office as Jason Waddell, 46, last known to live in the Sioux City, Iowa area. Several area farms were evacuated as Waddell has an extensive criminal history and may be armed.
"Just after 6 p.m,. a 2011 red in color, Chevy Silverado pickup was stolen not far from the search area in Wayne County.
"At approximately 7:30 p.m. the stolen pickup from Wayne County was observed near the Stanton and Wayne County line on 574th Ave and after it was observed it was parked and the driver (Waddell) then fled on foot into a bean field just north of the Stanton/Wayne County line. At that time, a perimeter was set up by the Wayne and Stanton County Sheriff’s office, Wayne Police Department and additional assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol. After about two hours of looking for the suspect using drones, he was located hiding in the field.
"An arrest team from the Wayne and Stanton County Sheriffs' Offices and the State Patrol approached him and he refused to cooperate. At that time, Waddell was bitten several times by a police K-9 and taken into custody on multiple felony charges committed in both Stanton and Wayne County.
Waddell was transported to Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk by Pilger Fire and Rescue for treatment of his bite injuries and was then jailed pending the setting of a cash bond in both counties.
Stanton County Emergency Management assisted in locating Waddell with a thermal drone.
