BARRON - Authorities investigating Jayme Closs' disappearance knew that deputies had passed a lone vehicle on the highway just minutes after they received a 911 call from the girl's home.
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Authorities didn't immediately know what had happened at the home, said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald, so no one pulled over Patterson.
"They didn’t know what they were going into," he said
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As Patterson fled, he drove past first responders heading to the home. A deputy en route recalled seeing an older, maroon Ford Taurus or similar vehicle traveling east on U.S. 8 as he drove west. The deputy saw the vehicle yield to his squad and other deputies responding to the scene. It was the only eastbound vehicle the deputy encountered.
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A week later, authorities notified the public of two vehicles of interest in the case: a 2004-2010 Black Acura MDX or a 2006-2010 Black Ford Edge, and a 2008-2014 red or orange Dodge Challenger. But investigators eventually became less "keen" on those cars, Fitzgerald previously told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, and there was never public mention of a Ford Taurus.
Fitzgerald said Tuesday that the passing car was discussed during the investigation, but they didn't feel they had enough to information to alert the public to it. It was dark, and police were traveling fast, so it was difficult to determine the make, model and other details, he said.
“We didn’t have any specific information about that car," he said.
Barron County sheriff: Not enough information to pull over Jake Patterson, search for car