False Report and Suspects on the Run: Two Arrests Made in Wednesday Police Pursuit through Lee County

Officers in Keokuk had their hands full on Wednesday afternoon, as a vehicle pursuit turned suspects on the run, combined with a false report of a juvenile gunshot injury.

At approximately 1:38 p.m., a Keokuk Police Officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Chevy Sedan known to be occupied by an individual with active warrants for their arrest. The vehicle failed to stop after the officer initiated the emergency lights and audible siren in a fully marked Keokuk squad car. The vehicle was occupied by a driver and two passengers.

Keokuk officers pursued the vehicle out of the city limits on Mississippi River Road. The driver eventually stopped the vehicle near 320th Street and 250th Avenue, but all occupants fled from the vehicle into a timber area.

During the pursuit, LeeComm received a call indicating that a juvenile had sustained a gun-related injury in the 1400 block of South 7th Street. Officers went to that location and investigated, which resulted in the determination that the report was false and likely an attempt to hinder law enforcement’s pursuit of the fleeing subjects.

A Lee County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit was deployed to track the suspects, as well as a Fort Madison drone.

Two subjects were arrested as a consequence. Courtney Kellum, 40, of Keokuk, was arrested and charged with Interference with Official Acts a simple misdemeanor. Brittany Saltzman, 33, of Keokuk, was arrested and charged with Interference with Official Acts. Saltzman was also arrested by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on multiple outstanding arrest warrants. The third suspect is at large but is not believed to be an ongoing threat to the public.

The successful outcome of the investigation was a result of the collaborative effort of our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The Iowa State Patrol, United States Marshals Service, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Narcotics Task Force, Fort Madison Police Department, and the Montrose Police Department also contributed to this investigation.