A mother and son wanted in Oklahoma for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon were apprehended in Melbourne Wednesday afternoon. Chief Deputy Charley Melton said Izard County officials were asked to be on the lookout for Jeremiah Dale Bates, 44, and Joanne Bates, 67, with Oklahoma addresses but with property ties to the Melbourne area.
Melton said, “Shortly after 1 p.m. the vehicle they were driving was spotted inside the city limits. Our officers then conducted a traffic stop and both Joanne Bates and Jeremiah Bates were taken into custody and transported to the Izard County Detention Center.”
A search of the vehicle netted approximately $15,000 in cash. According to the warrants for arrest, the incident occurred in Oklahoma on February 14, 2022. Melton said Oklahoma officials have been notified of the arrests.
