Three individuals were charged following a high-speed pursuit that stretched from Pocahontas County into Clay County this past weekend.
According to the Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred in the early morning hours this past Sunday. A deputy observed a vehicle traveling over the posted speed limit of 55 miles-per-hour in the 44000 block of Highway 4. The driver failed to stop and accelerated to speeds of up to one-hundred miles-per-hour. The driver went down gravel secondary roads reaching speeds up to 90 miles-per-hour. The driver failed to stop at numerous stop signs at speeds over 70 miles-per-hour. The vehicle entered the opposing lane numerous times during the pursuit, and the driver also shut the vehicle’s lights off while the vehicle was traveling over 80 miles-per-hour. A PIT maneuver was successfully conducted by a Pocahontas County deputy at the intersection of 330th Avenue and 470th Street in Clay County which caused the vehicle to be immobilized.
The driver, 30-year-old Braulio Hernandez Jr of Ames, was charged with Eluding 2nd or Subsequent Offense, a class C felony…and Driving While Barred, an aggravated misdemeanor. Hernandez was also issued citations for numerous traffic violations. He was booked in the Pocahontas County Jail.
Two passengers in the vehicle, 34-year-old Denver Crumpton of Ruthven, and 28-year-old Hayley Byerly of Spencer, were each arrested for outstanding warrants, and were booked into the Clay County Jail.
The Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Buena Vista, Clay, and Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Offices, as well as the Pocahontas and Laurens Police Departments.
