On Friday, July 12, 2024, Officers with the North Platte Department were made aware of a wanted subject from Iowa, Octavius Hurst Jr., possibly around the Walmart shopping area. Octavius Hurst Jr. had a felony warrant out of Iowa for sex offense violations. Officers located Hurst in the area and conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle in a parking lot located in the 200 block of East Leota Street. Once stopped, Hurst did not cooperate and gave officers a fictitious name.
Officers began an on-scene investigation in an attempt to positively identify Hurst and to obtain information on the arrest warrant. While officers were looking into the warrant, Hurst started his vehicle. Officers told Hurst to turn his car off. Hurst ignored the officer’s commands and began to speed away from the traffic stop. When Hurst started the motor of his vehicle, an officer reached into Hurst’s car to prevent Hurst from fleeing. As Hurst sped away, the officer was still attached to the vehicle, and the vehicle dragged the officer approximately 50 feet, injuring the officer.
Another officer chased Hurst and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The pursuit proceeded south on Jeffers Street and then turned west onto Walker Road. Speeds in the pursuit reached 120+ mph. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office assisted the North Platte Police Department by setting road spikes at the intersections of Walker Road and Hershey Dickens Road to slow and stop the vehicle. The vehicle tires were deflated by the road spikes, although Hurst continued to flee in the vehicle by driving across a wheat stubble field. The vehicle ultimately came to a stop in the field and Hurst was placed into custody.
The vehicle Hurst was driving started a fire in the wheat stubble field. The Hershey Volunteer Fire Department and Sutherland Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to extinguish the fire. The vehicle Hurst was operating was a total loss in the fire.
The officer was seen by medical health providers and is currently healing from the injuries sustained from being dragged by Hurst’s vehicle.
Hurst was arrested and charged with:
Assault on Officers using motor vehicle (Class III Felony)
Use of Deadly Weapon to commit a felony (Class II Felony)
Operating a Vehicle to Avoid Arrest (Class IV Felony)
Criminal Impersonation (Class IV Felony)
Resisting Arrest (Class I Misdemeanor)
Willful Reckless Driving (Class III Misdemeanor)
