A pursuit Saturday morning that began in Clay County ended in Dickinson county with the suspect vehicle and a patrol car being totaled.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy was attempting to pull over a vehicle for speeding on Highway 18 around 6:18 am, but the driver refused to pull over, resulting in a pursuit that went north on 240th Avenue and onto Highway 71. The vehicle’s headlights were off as it was being driven in the wrong lanes of traffic, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph. The pursuit continued through Milford and proceeded west and north on Highway 86. Dickinson county authorities deployed stop sticks and a pit maneuver was performed just north of Vick’s Corner on Highway 86. The vehicle went through a ditch and into some DNR land before coming to a stop.
As the suspect was being taken into custody, authorities say heat from the vehicles caused the grass to ignite. Fire departments from Spirit Lake, Lake Park and Arnolds Park-Okoboji battled the fire.
The suspect, 18-year-old Donnie Bensley of Des Moines, was arrested and booked into the Clay county jail on charges of possession of stolen property, eluding, reckless driving and multiple traffic offenses.
The vehicle Bensley had been driving, along with a Clay county patrol vehicle, were both totaled.
Authorities say the incident remains under investigation.
(thanks to Community First Broadcasting station KUOO in Spirit Lake)
