An Ottumwa woman was recently sentenced for a March 2021 incident in Jefferson County.

Court documents show that through a plea agreement, 34-year-old Barbara Kellar was convicted of eluding while causing injury, operating while intoxicated or participating in a felony, a class D felony, a lesser charge of possession of a controlled substance first offense, a serious misdemeanor, failing to obey a stop sign and yield right of way, speeding 21 mph or over in a 55 zone and driving while license is suspended, denied, cancelled or revoked. Kellar was given suspended sentences of five years in prison for eluding and one year in jail for the controlled substance charge to run concurrently. She is placed on five years of probation and must pay a $1,025 fine. She must also be placed in a residential treatment facility and successfully complete the program.

Kellar was originally charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine greater than five grams, a class B felony. The criminal complaint states that on March 6, 2021, a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a Cadillac vehicle with license plates corresponding to a BMW. When the deputy attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle sped off heading east on Highway 34. During the pursuit, Kellar’s vehicle reached speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour and was finally brought to a stop when the Henry County Sheriff’s Office deployed stop sticks to deflate the vehicle’s tires. After obtaining a warrant to search the vehicle, officers discovered and seized approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and items indicating drug trafficking. Kellar has an ongoing additional charge of eluding reaching speeds 25 mph over the speed limit, an aggravated misdemeanor.