Cedar Rapids man pleads guilty in high-speed chase

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man who led police on a high-speed chase in February, crashing into a school bus and a pickup, pleaded guilty Thursday in Linn County District Court.

James Surrett, 46, pleaded guilty to attempting to elude and being a habitual offender with five previous felony convictions. Surrett admitted in the hearing he didn't pull over when Linn County deputies in a marked vehicle signaled for him to stop on Highway 13, south of Mount Vernon Road, on Feb. 10. He also admitted to leading the deputies on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of up to 100 mph.

Surrett also admitted to crashing into a Cedar Rapids Community School District bus and a pickup on First Street SW, near Riverside Park, during the chase. The students and staff members on the bus were not injured, but Surrett admitted that he caused bodily injury to the driver of the pickup and her young child. They were treated at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Surrett faces a mandatory minimum of three years and up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing is set Oct. 19.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jason Besler said as part of the plea agreement if Surrett is sentenced to prison time, he will dismiss misdemeanor charges in the other Linn County pending cases.

Surrett posted bond in the eluding case and was arrested again about eight days later for assaulting and confining a woman against her will and threatening to kill her. He also faces Benton County charges for an incident while out on bond in the assault case. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Surrett was wanted by the Linn County Sheriff's Office for charges related to the violation of a no-contact order, and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force was called out to assist when Surrett's location was tracked to a home in Norway on July 13.

Authorities said Surrett fled the home in a stolen vehicle through an adjacent field and led officers from the Marshals Service, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Linn County Sheriff's Office, Benton County Sheriff's Office and Iowa County Sheriff's Office on a chase through Benton and Iowa counties. Surrett then abandoned the stolen vehicle and fled on foot into a West Amana home, authorities said. With the help of a K-9 officer, the marshals found Surrett hiding in a back room of the house and he was taken into custody.