A 37-year-old Moline man is in custody after Iowa State Police allege he led a chase of more than 100 mph, striking three other cars before he stopped.
Anthony Fort faces a felony charge of eluding – speeding more than 25 mph over the limit, and a serious misdemeanor charge of interference with official acts, court records show.
The incident on Sunday
Shortly before 2:30 p.m. Sunday, an Iowa State Trooper overhead Clinton County Law Center advise Cedar Rapids State Radio that a deputy was westbound on Highway 30 in pursuit of a black Ford Edge, arrest affidavits say. The original reason for the stop was that the SUV was traveling 71 mph in a 55 mph construction zone.
The Iowa State Trooper, en route from DeWitt, heard the deputy was then southbound on Highway 61 “from the pig tail. I caught up to (the) Clinton County Deputy … and joined the pursuit about the 129 mile marker,” the trooper writes in arrest affidavits.
The deputy was advised by his supervisors once he reached Eldridge to terminate the pursuit, according to affidavits. The trooper took over as lead officer.
Stop sticks were set up at the 125 mile marker on the overpass, affidavits show. “We started to slow down” and the SUV crossed the median and headed south in the northbound lanes of Highway 61, the trooper alleges in affidavits.
According to affidavits, the trooper took over around the 124 mile marker. The SUV continued driving south in the northbound lanes at speeds in excess of 100 mph, the trooper alleges in affidavits, “taking multiple vehicles head on, splitting vehicles, and going off on the shoulder. As we were approaching West 65th Street, all lanes of traffic were full and he was taking vehicles head on.”
“Multiple vehicles tried to swerve out of the way but the suspect vehicle ended up striking” a four-door Cadillac, a blue Toyota pickup truck and a four-door BMW, the trooper writes in affidavits.
The SUV came to rest in the southbound lanes against the BMW at West 65th Street and Highway 61. The driver “took off running on foot heading eastbound on West 65th Street,” the trooper alleges in affidavits. A foot chase began, and the suspect ran into the Thunder Bay Grille parking lot and tried to enter a red pickup truck that was pulling out, the trooper writes in affidavits.
The trooper drew a gun, ordered the suspect – Fort – to the ground, and Fort complied, according to affidavits.
The deputy arrived and placed Fort under arrest without incident, affidavits show. Fort was transported to Genesis Medical Center – East Campus for medical evaluation and later was transported to Scott County Jail.
The five Cadillac occupants were transported to Genesis Medical Center – East Campus for minor injuries, affidavits say. No other victims were transported there.
Fort, who was being held Monday on a total $58,000 bond, is set for a preliminary hearing Oct. 26 in Scott County Court.
