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Coyotes help police catch fugitive

By Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Oct 28, 2014

There was no need for police dogs to track down escaped inmate Daniel Rice.

Wild coyotes at a nearby nature preserve did the job instead.

Rice escaped custody after he was taken from the Muscatine County Jail  in Iowa to a local hospital for a heart-related issue. He managed to wriggle free from the handcuffs attached to the bed and took off on foot, wearing only a hospital gown.

Muscatine County officials stated that the fugitive’s gown came off during the subsequent chase.

According to the Muscatine Journal, Rice made his way to the Loud Thunder Forest Preserve in Illinois City, Illinois.

That’s when Rice met up with a pack of coyotes.

While being chased, Rice called police and used an alias to report his predicament. Authorities were able to positively identify Rice from the information provided in the outstanding warrant. Rice was returned to the Muscatine County Jail, where he is being held on burglary and theft charges and now an escaping from custody charge.

Rice’s bond is set at $50,000 and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 3.

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