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UPDATED: Sac County Sheriff's Department looking for anyone with information about man found dead in car in Early, Iowa


Ealey Death Invest.

UPDATE:  On December 9, 2010 Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure reported to me that the plow driver who discovered Mr. Ealey's vehicle wiped snow off the window of the vehicle and looked inside. Because Mr. Ealey was reclined, his body wasn't visible to the plow driver and it was from that point on reported as and treated as an abandoned vehicle.


I also learned, and this is again according to Sheriff McClure, that the closest Sheriff's deputy was in a different part of the county assisting a stranded motorist at the time Mr. Ealey's vehicle was reported as not containing a stranded motorist. Sheriff McClure reports that at no time did any Sac County Sheriff's Department employee visit the scene of Mr. Ealey's vehicle, which was one of 25+ vehicles reported as abandoned that day.


In light of this new information, all comments that speculate that the car wasn't checked have been removed.

Copyright (c)2007-2010 Curtis Bloes All Rights Reserved
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93 comments:

  1. How was a man left in his car for three days after being towed? Was he dead when the car was towed? Who was the officer on the scene, and does he or she still work as a public safety officer?

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  2. I guess I don't understand why, if the doors were locked, they didn't investigate at all by just scraping the snow off of the car and looking inside. Who knows if this man was dead at that time or not...

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  5. Apathy, pure and simple, I hope if I ever get snowed in, the Sac Sheriff's Department doesn't help me. It would not appear that they will do anything, I agree, this will be a huge lawsuit for Sac County. Am sure they will want this to quietly go away. An outside investigation needs to be conducted and action taken!!!!!!

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  6. This should be investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, this is so wrong!!!! And this is the kind of professional performance our tax dollars pay for. I will predict the future: This will be covered up, the truth is to much to take. I hope Sac County can afford good lawyers and plans to pay this poor man's family. I can see no easy way out of this mess.

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  7. WOW. You have got to be kidding me. Where is the policies and procedures handbook when you need it?! Whether the man was alive or dead when the car was towed is irrelevant at this point except in the case of a lawsuit which I am positive will be forthcoming. My sympathies to his family. Lots of what if's on this one. If they have officers like [CONTENT REMOVED] driving around, doesn't go more than idle speed and won't get out of his car for anything, one can see how this would happen. When a small Sac County town has a rash of burglaries and attempted home burglaries it takes the Sac County Sheriff's office over 2 hours to respond, if they do at all..and we have a deputy living in the town. WAY TO GO!!!! Another positive media spotlight Sheriff McClure! Maybe Ken is out like Earl the next vote?!

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  9. I can tell you from actually speaking with the Sac County S.O.(which apparently is too much to ask for some before negatively commenting), that they were not involved in the towing of this vehicle. When the weather is bad like that, there is no way law enforcement can be involved in every disabled vehicle, it's just not possible. Sheriff McClure and his staff do a wonderful job with what they have. Having contractual obligations with so many towns in the county, while still fulfilling other duties makes it difficult to keep up, especially during winter storms.

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  11. What do you mean??? Not one person to blame... Who had the vehicle towed?? Who made that decision, surely he or she was in control of the situation. And no one should use the excuse that there was to much to do in the county. That is a complete copout!!! When someone may have been alive in his vehicle is towed, to busy or no one is to blame is complete BS!!!!

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  12. I have seen the light, clearly no one is to blame. This poor soul should have not stayed in his vehicle in a snow storm (as you are supposed to do), he should have tried to find a warm place to stay. The Sheriff's office has no responsibility to check vehicles for occupants when towing them. This person is entirely to blame, he should not have to rely on Sac County for any help. And he got none....

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  13. You guys are being sarcastic dumbasses! Not just one person is to blame...but a lot of people DO share in the blame. K.M., you sound like a moron!

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  14. Gosh I hope K.M. is kidding...if not, I sure hope K.M. is not a neighbor of mine.....

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  15. Yeah, anonymous 3:42...that's why I said sarcastic dumbasses and called this K.M. a moron-I believe a lot of what was said was sarcastic. Yes, this person lost their life...yes, someone should have checked out the inside of the car...yes, it is a tragedy, and if it were a friend or family member of mine, I would be very furious-lawsuit furious. But it is over-I am not a calous person, but learn from it and move on. Finger pointing aside, there are a lot of people that 'could have' and 'should have'...

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  16. Seriously... "not one person" is to blame because *lots of people* likely share in the blame. But this is all we have of the story, so I personally am going to wait until I have a bit more information before I make judgments about how to allocate that blame.

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  18. I tell you that it is not the Sac County Sheriff's office job to insure every vehicle does not have a person inside. The County is so vast and large no police force can do that. You are lucky we have stopped the looters and cattle rustlers. And I will have you know that I was almost Valadictorian at Sac HS and was Homecoming King. Moron, I think not.

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  19. Key word-A L M O S T. Some of the things you said in your earlier comment made you SOUND moronic. As I have stated over and over, it is not something I believe can be blamed on any one person, or even department. But SOMEONE should have discovered this before 3 days had lapsed.

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  21. K.M. and SB sound like initials of certain Sac County Deputies/Sheriff to me. Getting awfully defensive. Perhaps they were the ones on duty that day?

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  22. SB is not the deputy you're thinking of. I wouldn't call it getting defensive. I would call it defending a good agency from undue scrutiny and slander by a group of people not interested in getting the real story before propagating rumor.

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  23. Please, everyone must know that the Sheriff's Office monitors this and will try to slant it to look like they have done nothing wrong. Below each sign of Sac County should be another sigh: Enter at Your Own Risk !!!!!

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  24. I have read the statement given by the Sheriff's Office and the comments that they had nothing to do with the towing of the vehicle. Seems odd to me, if the State Patrol directed the towing why was this not stated. A county road is the Sheriff's responsibility. Unless he deputized the tow truck driver, which I am guessing he did not. Clearly information is lacking, and it must be damning for the Sheriff's Office or they would have given it. And the Statement that they cannot patrol every town in this county seems lame. Why are they there??? I hope this poor man was already deceased when they originally found him and did not die alone locked in his car in a storage building. This whole incident makes all involved seem very guilty of criminal stupidity.

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  25. C.T. -
    I don't know either way, but I haven't heard anything about the Iowa State Patrol having anything to do with the vehicle. As I stated earlier, winter storms stretch the resources of all who are tasked with responding. Emergency responders don't have any magic equipment that allows them to get to places others can't, nor can they safely travel at great speeds to get somewhere in these conditions. They only have the equipment available to them, and hopefully a good head on their shoulders, coupled with experience and training, to do the best they can at getting to and dealing with what comes up.

    Also, the press release states the vehicle was towed from Hwy 71, which is a state road, not county, and not that it mattters.

    There is no mandate that says, nor can there be a realistic expectation that law enforcement can get to and be involved with every disabled vehicle. Do some checking on how many such situations there are in a severe winter storm. You would be amazed.

    No one said they cannot patrol every town in the county, they do. But, unless I'm wrong on the fundamental laws of physics, it's fairly difficult to be in more than one place at a time. It seems like you are expecting a group of people that can throw on a superman outfit and take care of everything right away, wherever it comes up. It's not that simple.

    I feel terrible for what happened in this case. I'm not going to throw awful comments and allegations around as to whose fault it is. I would agree that someone should have checked the interior of the vehicle when it was towed. Perhaps back at the shop after towing, if road conditions were especially treacherous? But you cannot hold accountable an agency that was not even involved in the situation until the body was discovered.

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  27. My name is Tina Richardson and Earl Ealey was my uncle. I drove from WV to pick up his personal belongings with Earls brother Emil.We had the pleasure in meeting Doug the tow truck driver.He is a wonderful man who has served many years of great service for your community, Do you even know how much? My family wants your readers to know that we DO NOT in anyway blame Doug for any part of this tragedy. The State Police were called with the report from a plow truck of a car blocking the highway.It is not the job of the tow service to check inside the car. It is their job to pick up an abandoned car and remove it from the roadway. As for the sheriff he has called our family and he has been investigating, cut him some slack. The sheriff's office wasn't involved until' Tuesday morning when his body was discovered.

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  28. The problem is that the sheriffs office was not involved until Tuesday. I am truly sorry for your loss, but I cannot see how I can every "cut some slack." This should never happen anywhere, and though people may have been only "doing their jobs" it clearly is not good enough. Things like this make me very happy to have moved from Sac County and not care to come back. Get it together people.

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  29. People READ the Sac County Sheriffs was not the law enforecement agency involved when the vehicle was towed...it was the STATE POLICE (sympathies to the family on your loss)

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  30. I just don't get it. What part of this are some of you not understanding? I wasn't in the area for the storm, but most day shifts there may be 3 to 4 S.C.S.O. officers on duty? At any given point in a good winter storm, there could be dozens of vehicles like this in the county, some reported, most not. How is it that you expect for law enforcement to be able to check out each of them? The Sac County Sheriff's Office is a high quality organization that you should feel fortunate to have.

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  32. I have not seen anywhere the Sac County S.O. has attempted to point fingers at anyone.

    What makes you think none of the disabled vehicles get checked? They run their wheels off trying to get to as many of them as they can. If each one had to be checked out by law enforcement before it could be moved, it would take a week to clear the roads after a small snowstorm. It is not unusual to find a vehicle buried in the snow like this that has been simply abandoned when the occupants got another ride or walked somewhere. Ask any county or state plow driver. And a lot of times it's not reported to the authorities, or a tow called by the owner, just left.

    I honestly cannot see where law enforcement failed. It is, in fact, a very unfortunate situation. I said before that I feel terrible for Mr. Ealey and his family. However, I don't believe all the negative comments here about the law enforcement response are deserved, or even based in rational thought. I don't believe anyone is trying to sweep anything under the rug.

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  33. It looks like there as many comments from Law Enforcement on this site as residents. That is a sign to me. No matter how you disguise it, the Sac County Sheriff's Office is trying to change public opinion. Badly, but trying. If what is said is true, if you are ever in a car in a snowstorm and get stuck: Run do not walk away from the vehicle because you may stay in the car for some time. No matter how you whitewash this sad situation, Law enforcement failed miserably. I guess the talk of a lawsuit and or investigation must have hit home.

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  34. Why exactly is the Sheriff's Office at fault? You people believe that the Sheriff should run out and check a towed vehicle, when the doors were locked and the tow truck driver did not report anything unusual. That sounds like something a Sheriff should do. I can imagine the converstation "hey everyone I am going to drive to Early in a snow storm to check on a towed vehicle because there may be deceased man it". And to all you armchair litigators out there what would the family sue the Sheriff's Office for? Without the autospy we do not know how the man died. My guess is he had died in the truck before he was towed and it was dark and snowing heavily and the tow truck driver did not see him or could not see him and towed it to the shed. I know that sounds to simple and a cover up by the Sheriff's Office sounds much more probable.

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  35. Just wondering....why does everything have to be a "conspiracy theory"?! Maybe we should wait until all the facts are gathered to cast judgment?

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  36. Anonumous 11-28 8:32 and 9:27 -
    Thank you. I was beginning to feel like the only one that doesn't see the usefulness or legitimacy of people casting blame and unreasonable expectations on the Sac County Sheriff's Office. 8:32, I like the conversation you described. Holding the Sheriff's Office responsible for this man's death would be comparable to holding firemen accountable for a death in a house fire that noone knew about until after the fire burned out on its own.

    11-27 9:08 PM -
    Why would a person have to be law enforcement to make comments here defending against unfair and completely baseless accusations? And so what if they are? Do they not have the right to participate in these discussions just as much as anyone else? Especially when they're being visciously attacked?

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  37. unfortunately there is no true resolution to this concern as people will believe what they want right or wrong it is their right in this great country. i do not know how law enforcement opperates in this county but like any group or organization they should use this as well as others involved to make changes and to re-evaluate with a quality improvement plan use this as a tool not as a reason to say there i no more to be done because we do it all. taking the defence is poor judgement good pr is the best course of action. as a public servant you will rarely get credit for a job well done but when the damn train jumps the track you will most likely be blamed that is just the nature of the beast

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  38. You people are IDIOTS!!!! do you --thats is any one of you have any idea how big this county is???? or in fact how many miles of hi-way runs thru it???? no one can be everywhere at once.-- NOW does anyone remember how bad it was snowing that lovely saturday morning-- and were any of you brave souls out there checking "abandoned" cars for possible stranded people that also has no cellphone to call anybody or even dial 911?
    Wake up People--Do You Honestly have nothing better to do than try to make "trouble " when you have no idea what you are talking about or even inferring? You know what (people)____ until you are in that situation-- to actually know what you are talking about --then spout off all you want --

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  39. i believe what most people are concerned with is that the vehicle had been in contact with the dot and the tow truck driver and beause of that the public feels that was an error in jugement at those two points of contact. i am sure it is difficult but because of the contact made twice public oppinion tends to be outrage. my advice to the sheriffs department though they had no knowledge of it until 3 days later would be to take this opportunity with other public agencies that were invloved and create some sort of policy to just wipe or scrape off the window peek inside especially during a storm of any vehicle that they may come across. then make a press release stating and valiating the public concerns what changes they are at least considering with other agencies and businesses they rely on during inclenent weather. then follow up with the public on any new changes especially since we are just entering our winter months. protect and service not we are only so big and thats not our job. this has landed in their lap and the sheriffs department has a wonerful opportunity to make this possitive i wish them luck

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  41. My name is Teresa and have been a friend of this family's for over 28 years~ all I can say is SHAME ON YA'LL! Please DO NOT lose sight of the fact that this family is in MOURNING!!!! My God, if you cannot voice your opinion, your genuine concerns, your sympathies, (or WAIT!!) how about some positive ideas as to prevent this from happening ever again....then keep you mouth (fingers) SHUT! Show some respect please~ this family is looking for answers~ NOT a playground argument from a bunch of adolescents~ Thank you to all of you who have shown the descency to say something about the family's loss~ and maybe even a PRAYER~ instead of just using this as a sounding board for Adolescent Name calling and Finger Pointing~ Liz, I love you gurl and hope the truth will come out~ Tina, bravo lady for having the nerve to stand up for a man who is in all probability kicking himself in the rear for not doing something that was never in his job description~ God Bless each and every one of you~ I pray the Lord works inside you all in an effort to show some love and decency to a family who is grieving and looking for answers! Now GROW UP!!!! PLEASE!

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  43. The press release says the vehicle was towed on the morning of November 13th. I would like to know what time the plow truck reported it and what time the tow truck driver towed it.
    If it was morning then he was only in the car for a couple hours before it was removed from the road.

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  44. Geez guys! Give it a rest already! The family and friends of the man even want this bickering to end! Just stop blaming people and let the family move on! It amazes me how many people are willing to sit there on their asses and point fingers, when they really have NO CLUE!

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  46. Does the family want this to shut up? Or does the Sac County Sheriff's Office?? I am not sure the truth will be found unless it is asked. If one relies on Law Enforcement to tell the truth, especially a truth that looks bad, we could be waiting a long time. Ultimately this should not have happened, and let's hope it doesn't happen again. Thank every Law Enforcement Officer for there outstanding performance in this sad event. That should shake them up.......

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  47. How many times do you conspiracy nuts need to hear the words "THE SAC COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS NOT INVOLVED WITH THIS INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS CALLED IN BY ANOTHER AGENCY."

    I swear, some of you guys need to upgrade to copper. The tinfoil isn't working anymore.

    (And no, I am not in any way, shape, or form connected with the Sac County Sheriff's Department)

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  48. I agree, I know the family was told the plow truck driver reported it to the state police but the family was also told that the car was towed Saturday evening around 8pm. Witch contradicts the press release stating it was towed the morning of the 13th. So witch is it. Earl was seen saturday morning around 5:30am filling up his gas tank, at a gas station 6 miles from where his car was towed. You do the math.

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  49. I see there have been two sac county meetings since Earl Ealey was found that tragic day. I read the minutes from the meetings and not once was anything mentioned on changing procedure so this terrible tragedy doesn't happen again.Now if it's open to the public where are all you loud mouth finger pointers. Or is all you can do is sit in your ass' and type your complaints. GET OFF UR ASS and do something to make a change otherwise shut the hell up....

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  50. I guess what surprises everyone sadly enough is that this should not have happened. And we know that the Sac County Sheriff's Office has stated they did nothing. That much is very true. They did nothing. The State Police did nothing. And as we all know, if you make one negative comment concerning Law Enforcement in this county you will be marked. Now you can call me a liar, but it is very much true. I do hope this preventable trajedy never happens again. But by every indication, more time has been spent denying responsibility than correcting a terrible mistake.

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  51. I listened to scanner and to ALL of the calls for the cars to be towed and every one of them had a Sheriff or Deputy or State Patrol that I heard. Maybe I missed it but I don't think so.

    And to all of you who don't think people should voice their opinion, this is still America. Speak up folks your voice needs to be heard!!!

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  52. What all of you are missing is that the only report of the car came from the tow truck driver. That should tell people that some thing was wrong. Most people report that their car is stuck. I don't know of anyone that just walks away from a stuck or stranded car that does not reprt it. BIG RED FLAG THERE!!! Where is the driver?

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  53. Thanks, I concur, this is America. The truth can be hard to take sometimes, but it is still the truth.

    This was preventable, this was tragic. No matter how you look at it, the system failed.

    The Sheriff's Office seems to know nothing because they did nothing.

    The State Patrol seems to have been left out of the equation.

    From the Sheriff's point of view I would want this to quietly go away also. This needs to be a lesson to all law enforcement. But they are to worried about liability to see it.

    Sad, very sad....

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  54. Another item, no matter how the Sheriff's Department wants to stay in the dark, an interesting fact still exists.

    The Communications Center is the responsibility and controlled by the Sac County Sheriff.

    The report must have done through this center....What was done next?

    Nothing.....

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  55. Well, for starters- EVERY time something like this is done, there should be a case number issued (be it state patrol, or the S.O.). That will say who "authorized" the tow. Regardless, to the best of MY knowledge- there should be something in the POLICY manual as to doing an INVENTORY of the vehicle when doing in impound/tow. Where's the paperwork on this? This is where the fail is and blame to be pointed. Even if they told the tow truck to go ahead and tow and they would get to the inventory ASAP (a matter of a couple of hours after it is towed- hopefully). Get arrested for OWI and see if they aren't up there ripping your car apart looking for stuff. I think what a lot of people are wanting is answers. I know I would be concerned if this happened to a relative of mine- I would want some answers.

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  56. I agree, if you are a kid or getting an OWI there is a flashlight in your vehicle immediately. How many times have kids been stopped at random and there vehicle searched?? They don't know the law and are easy.

    This must have been a low priority target. Nothing to be gained, an out of state license plate, vehicle stuck in the snow. Yet no one found this to be of any interest. Seems odd to me. No conspiracy here, could not be. Apathy could be that word that we are looking for......

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  57. Everyone must remember, Sheriff McClure is an elected official. He serves us, he can be voted out.

    I would ask what he is doing to make sure this never happens again and what if any investigation will occur??

    I think someone new might be better able to handle this job.

    The buck stops at his desk.

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  58. Well now we don't have to worry about painting "Serve and Protect" on police vehicles.

    Now we must paint "Ignore and Blame Someone Else"

    I liked the idea about the Enter at own Risk sign upon entering this vast, nearly incrossable Sac County.

    Remember Earl Hardisty?? Am thinking further change is needed. Then a complete shakeup of the department. Maybe hire people who will try to help others.


    And I have no tinfoil hat, am not a conspiracy buff and do not work for the Sac County Sheriff's Office.

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  59. Were this a large city, with TV and large news organizations someone would ask hard questions about this incident.

    Unfortunately we are sparsely populated and somewhat isolated. So were it not for this I suspect nothing would ever be said about what has occurred.

    We must push this issue so no one is ever left to die because of departmental incompetance. I would hope our elected officials will act. I would hope law enforcement tries harder. I would hope I am never stranded in my vehicle.

    Sheriff McClure you must make changes, you must insure your department does not let this happen again. Or you should step down.

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  60. ARE YOU PEOPLE STUPID???? IT HAS BEEN STATED NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOWING OF THE CAR. LEARN HOW TO READ, PEOPLE!

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  61. How would the Sheriff know the man was in distress if they never received a 911 call? From the report that was issued there is no mention of anyone contacting the police to say this man was missing or the man himself calling for assistance, but I suppose the Sheriff is covering that up. Some of you people are complete and utter morons and sadly are able to vote.

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  62. The application for sheriff, state patrol, tow truck driver, etc. must state that one needs to be able to pass a physical but not have shit for common sense. Did they follow protocol, blah, blah, blah? Probably. It would be a lot easier to see a dead guy in a car if you not only had enough common sense to wipe a window and look in but also if they were to pull their heads out of their asses and wipe the shit out of their eyes! Was there a call? Nope, and as previously stated people don't just walk away from a car. Again...common sense, unfortunately not everyone possesses it. The ones without sure do have tinsel tongues and are able to talk their way out of the trouble that the lack of common sense gets them into.

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  63. anonymous 10:33pm,
    You are the moron if you think that everyone carries a cell phone, or that anyone with a medical emergency is able to call 911 in all cases. How in the world would the family know instantly that their family member was in need of help? Are you saying that unless you have a cell phone and call 911, you are screwed if you are stranded along the road...is it not the sheriffs department responsibility to do a welfare check on the vehicle? This happened on highway 71, not on a dirt road...come on now!
    I had voted for McClure... so maybe I am a moron

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  64. I guess I must be a moron, and stupid.

    It was previously stated that the Sheriff's Office did absolutely nothing. We seem to mostly agree that they did not lift a finger in the course of this terrible event.

    I tell everyone, have 2 cell phones, an arctic sleeping bad, food, water in your vehicle at all times. You may need it, do not depend on assistance from law enforcement.

    And should you get stranded in Sac County, know that your life is in your own hands.


    Again, the Sac County Sheriff's Department did nothing in any way to assist this man.

    I guess if you do nothing you will never be wrong.

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  65. Look at the Sheriff past alone and see how far the "common sense" thing goes- that's all that needs to be said. Well, that and start looking for who is going to run for Sheriff for 2012; maybe the chief deputy will run or better yet, someone from the outside!

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  66. Jesus. I hope I never have a medical problem in my car while it's snowing.

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  67. I think you are all morons for not being able to voice your opinions anywhere but here if you have such a big problem about it go to city counsel meeting. nothing is going to change by calling each other names on here the family and friends of the family have asked you to stop bickering but you can't you just keep pointing fingers and blaming people. Saying this should have never happened wont change it, it wont fix anything or bring him back. If you truly want to make a difference get up and do something. If you don't like how Sheriff McClure does his job you apply and change things but I am sure it isn't easy, like you all make it out to be. No one could have predicted this terrible event but all you can do now is work together to fix things so something terrible like this never happens again. And no one is saying you can't voice your opinions because yes this is America but on here who is really going to listen? Some will agree then others will just be pissed and tell you how you are wrong. Why don't you go get off the computer and make a change like I said before. That is how you will get the results you want not by staying anonymous on TheSacNews.

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  68. Anonymous December 6, 1146PM,

    1. Please describe for us, since we are all morons, where we should turn our application in to apply for the job of county sheriff. Is that at the courthouse somewhere? At the comm center perhaps? City hall, maybe?

    2. Please inform us, since we are all morons, which city council it is exactly that regulates the hiring and firing of the county sheriff, as you didn't specify.

    Thanx in advance for your help in clarifying this for us morons.

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  69. So I did not think through my comment like I should have, I am a moron too. The point I want to get across is that all people are doing on here is calling people names and pointing fingers. Why can't they get up and do something, make a difference, or change something that you want changed. The Sheriffs job cannot be that easy is what I want to point out. I am not saying I agree with everything he does but I do not know what he has to deal with. We are all only human and should try to make life better together not argue and point fingers on an internet site.

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  70. Am guessing if this happened on a lonely gravel road it might be Spring before it was discovered.

    Truly a lesson, be prepared.

    Hwy 71 is a well traveled road, this emphasizes the danger.

    If you have children driving make sure they know the dangers.

    This was not a blizzard, and not trememdously cold. People keep calling others morons, I wonder why? The truth is not pretty, and the people we depended on, to protect and care, did absolutely nothing. And they seem consistently to say they are not responsible. Who then should have been responsible? Who should have looked inside that vehicle? Who should have checked the license number? There must be someone, but who?

    And I guess as stated some of the morons do vote.

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  71. Anonymous December 7, 2010 12:35AM,

    Lets say, that we wake up tomorrow, and the basic nature of the people in charge of Sac County is totally different.

    Let's say that tomorrow we all wake up to a Sac County in which you can attend a public meeting, speak your mind, and the people in charge won't retaliate against you and your family.

    If we pretend that fantasy is real starting tomorrow, what is it you think people should actually do to get things changed outside of what they are already presently advocating via TSN?

    This seems to be the place, (god help me,) that people WANT to talk about these things. It seems like they are probably saying the same things they would likely say at a public meeting, but, (you know,) without the fear of retaliation because I let them say it anonymously.

    TSN, for whatever reason, is the place where the conversation happens... literally thousands of people are reading our comments. According to my analytics, within three days nearly 70 percent of those thousands will have read the conversation in which you and I are engaging tonight.

    So, even if our small minded local despots didn't habitually retaliate against people that speak up in public, why the hell would anyone even WANT to limit the scope of their comment's influence to five people that will at best politely thank them for their time and then ignore them when they can come here and have an audience of thousands?

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  72. This tragedy is fast becoming promotional material for OnStar(though I'm not sure who OnStar would have contacted to help given how undermanned law enforcement is in the county). I suspect this situation would have turned out differently?

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  74. What if???

    What if, he was alive when towed? That is the troubling question. He could have been saved.

    He should have had that chance.

    What if it was a blizzard?? Again, it was not. I do not blame the tow truck driver, he is the only innocent one in this.

    Law Enforcement did nothing. They must do better. This cannot happen again, what have they learned from this terrible situation?

    Vote for who would save you in a snowstorm....

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  75. I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR YOU! EARL EALEY WAS HIS NAME. HE WAS NOT IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. HE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. HE WAS THERE FOR APPROXIMATLY 150 MINUTES FROM THE TIME HE GOT GAS TO THE TIME HE WAS TOWED. THE FAMILY DOES WANT ANSWERS, MORE THEN ANY OF YOU. AFTER THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT COMES BACK WE WILL KNOW HOW TO PROCEDE. I WONT POINT FINGERS BUT I WILL SAY THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER IS NOT OF NEGITIVE INTEREST TO US. EVERYTHING YOU JUST READ IS THE FACT! FACT! FACT!

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  76. I agree with Randy B.

    If it were your mother, daughter, son husband in that vehicle. How would you feel then??
    Radical changes from Law Enforcment are needed immediately. But how do you make someone care, want to try and save another? No easy answer. I guess the next candidate for this office should explain how he/or she would have handled this same situation, and what they would do to insure all officers do there job.


    I will vote for who would save me in the cold, in a snowstorm. That person is not Sheriff McClure.

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  77. ARE YOU F'N KIDDING ME???? The ONE guy that we KNOW physically had contact with the vehicle - and for the longest time - and parked the vehicle in HIS storage shed - has no blame in this, but you're willing to crucify the county Sheriff, who may or may not have known about the vehicle until well after it was towed?

    I would say the one thing Law Enforcement has learned out of this is there are people in this county that will blame them for anything they possibly can.

    Ron White was correct. You just can't fix stupid.

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  78. On-star would help, but only to aid in the retrieval of your remains.

    There are several dead zones (cell phone) in that area also. Am not sure that would help.

    What if we all call the Sheriff's Office prior to departure and let them know our route. Again, this will help in retrieval.

    People have been harsh about law enforcement's actions or non-actions in this event. Why has law enforcement not given anymore press releases?? No statements? Just silence.


    Am voting for the next Sheriff who is not afraid of the truth, and will rescue me as happily as arrest me.

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  79. I commented here several times before, and had said what I thought needed to be said. I can't believe how this has drug on and on and it's still the same argument.

    WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE FACT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS NOT EVEN MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION UNTIL MR. EALEY'S BODY WAS FOUND?

    To the person that said the tow truck driver was the only innocent one: How? It seems to me he should have looked in the car, at least after it was back in the shop. Maybe he did. If the statement is true about Mr. Ealey being covered up on the back seat, he would have been hard to see anyway in a snow covered car.

    Also, some of you would be very surprised by the number of cars like this that are simply abandoned in a snowstorm. The statements from several that imply people wouldn't leave a car without reporting it or calling a tow are simply false. It happens all the time in such weather. The occupants may have walked to a farmplace, gotten a ride with a passerby or friend, walked off and gotten lost, all kinds of possibilities. Any of which can, and do happen without the stuck vehicle being reported to anyone.

    I am just completely at a loss to see the rationality behind blaming law enforcement or even the plow driver. I'd ask for someone to explain it to me, but I think it's been well covered. The problem is none of these arguments are reasonable or relevant to anyone with an ounce of common sense.

    I agree with the sentiment that everyone that has posted on here has a right to their own opinion and the expression of it. I also agree that someone in an elected position, and to an extent, those that work under him, are subject to the scrutiny that goes with that position. I just happen to think the people that are making negative and slanderous remarks about the Sheriff are not applying any rational thought to this case.

    I am another that has voted for Sheriff McClure, and would continue to do so if I still resided in his jurisdiction. I believe he has made tremendous progress with the quality of Sac County law enforcement in his few years as Sheriff. And in case you're wondering, I also am not affiliated with the Sac County Sheriff's Office.

    Now give it a rest and go thank your local law enforcement officers for putting their butt on the line every day for you.

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  80. I am attempting to get my hands on the documents that will show the time of death. So far my verbal requests for those documents have been denied.

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  81. According the the Sheriff, there is nothing new to report as of December 7, 2010.

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  82. SB,
    Unfortunately, even if you are a principal player in this unfortunate event, you won't be able to get anyone to actually respect your claims until you register for a blogger account with a photo, and then leave your comments in that manner.

    Until then, you have to cite checkable sources. For instance, you claim that the Sheriffs department had nothing to do with this, until the body was found.

    I disagree.

    Yesterday, on December 7, 2010 Sheriff McClure told me that it was the Sheriff's Department that dispatched the tow truck driver.

    This indicates to me that the Sheriff's department was involved before the body was found as you claim. Indeed, it indicates that they were involved in the earliest hours of the event DAYS before Mr. Ealey's remains were recovered. You can confirm that by calling the Sheriff's Department at 712 662 7127.

    This major inaccuracy on your part now calls into question all of your other claims.

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  84. At 12:12PM December 8, 2010 I placed a call to the ME requesting cause and manner of death. Standing by for callback...

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  85. At 1:58PM on December 8, 2010 I received a callback from the State Medical Examiners office. According to the ME, Mr. Ealey's manner and cause of death are still under investigation at this time.

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  86. I like it when people who have no grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. call other people morons. :)

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  87. What bothers me is if you question the "Official" story you must be wearing a foil hat or something with coppper.

    We have a right to question elected, public servants. The truth should be made available.

    Am sure the family deserves the truth. The rest of us worry this could happen to us.

    And if Sac County was wrong, as it appears to be, let the cards fall where they may.

    And no matter how hard working, dangerous and the job of Law Enforcement, they cannot say that we should overlook blatant stupidity. They should be held to the same standards as the rest of us. I wonder why no independant investigation is being requested by the county.

    This should not go away, something must be done to insure this never happens again.

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  89. Foul [PLAY] isn't suspected, yet the cause of death is not known. wth???

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  90. SOUNDS LIKE MUCH NEEDED CHANGEDecember 8, 2010 at 7:20 PM

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  91. UPDATE: On December 9, 2010 Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure reported to me that the plow driver who discovered Mr. Ealey's vehicle wiped snow off the window of the vehicle and looked inside. Because Mr. Ealey was reclined, his body wasn't visible to the plow driver and it was from that point on reported as and treated as an abandoned vehicle.

    I also learned, and this is again according to Sheriff McClure, that the closest Sheriff's deputy was in a different part of the county assisting a stranded motorist at the time Mr. Ealey's vehicle was reported as not containing a stranded motorist. Sheriff McClure reports that at no time did any Sac County Sheriff's Department employee visit the scene of Mr. Ealey's vehicle, which was one of 25+ vehicles reported as abandoned that day.

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  92. Sounds like a "cop out" to me....

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