Oelwein Man Arrested for Vehicle Burglaries & Thefts in Hazleton

An Oelwein man has been arrested for allegedly stealing and burglarizing vehicles in Hazleton.

Last Thursday around 2:30 am, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office began receiving reports of burglaries and thefts from vehicles in Hazleton. Around 3:30 am, a report was made of a vehicle stolen from the 100 block of First Street South in Hazleton.

Around 5 am, Sheriff’s Dispatch received a report of an individual attempting to gain access to a vehicle in Independence in the 400 block of 14th Avenue NE. The caller stated they had scared the suspect away and provided a description of the suspect vehicle, which matched the vehicle reportedly stolen earlier in Hazleton.

Shortly thereafter, a Buchanan County Sheriff’s Deputy located what was believed to be the stolen vehicle north of Independence and began following it. When a second Deputy arrived in the area, they attempted a traffic stop. At that time, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which entered a ditch and rolled over near the intersection of Isaac Avenue and 185th Street.

The driver was identified as 40-year old Michael Jon Rohrick of Oelwein. Rohrick was transported to an area hospital with unspecified injuries sustained in the crash.

On Saturday, Rohrick was taken into custody at the University of Iowa Medical Center in Iowa City and transported to the Buchanan County Jail.

Rohrick was subsequently charged with:

• Twelve counts of second offense Burglary in the third degree to vehicle (class D felony) 
• One count of third degree Burglary to residence (class D felony)
• Three counts of Attempted Burglary to vehicle
• One count of third degree Theft 
• Eleven counts of fifth degree Theft 
• Driving While License Suspended 
• Failure to Maintain Control
• Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device
• Failure to Use Seatbelt

These incidents remain under investigation and further charges are pending. Rohrick was also arrested on an active arrest warrant out of Buchanan County for original charges of third degree Theft and three counts of Identity Theft. Rohrick was held on bond at the Buchanan County Jail.

photo courtesy of Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office