Chase through Johnson County reached 116 mph

SOLON - A chase involving a state trooper and a Des Moines man on the sex offender registry that ended in a crash near Solon reached speeds of 116 mph, authorities said.

According to an Iowa State Patrol criminal complaint, around 10 a.m. Tuesday, a trooper spotted 20-year-old Jeffrey D. Rangel, Jr. hitting speeds in excess of 80 mph in a 70 mph zone on Interstate 80 near the 235 mile marker east of Tiffin. Authorities said the trooper caught up with Rangel and attempted to pull him over. Police said Rangel pulled into a rest area off ramp, waited for the trooper to exit his patrol vehicle and then drove away.

The trooper initiated a pursuit with Rangel, who also appeared to have a 'young, female passenger” in the vehicle with him, police said. The chase continued east on Interstate 80 through Coralville and Iowa City, reaching speeds of 105 mph in a 65 mph zone. Police said Rangel drove between two vehicles at one point, forcing them onto the shoulders.

Rangel got off the interstate at the Dodge Street exit and the trooper blocked him from turning south into Iowa City. Police said Rangel then turned north on Highway 1 toward Solon. Police said Rangel was going 116 mph in a 55 mph zone, made improper passes, crossed the centerline and forced more vehicles onto the shoulder.

The pursuit was terminated at the Solon city limits as Rangel turned on to Highway 382. The trooper reported seeing Rangel from the distance running multiple stop signs before making a U-turn at Ely road and heading back to Solon. Rangel then got back on Highway 1 and fled north from Solon.

Troopers re-engaged in a chase with Rangel that continued on gravel roads due to concerns that Rangel is a registered sex offender and could have been holding his female passenger against her will. According to the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, Rangel was convicted earlier this year of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.

Rangel ignored signals from other troopers to pull over and evaded stop sticks that were deployed, police said. The chase ended in the 5700 block of 160th Street when Rangel left the road and hit a telephone pole.

Rangel was taken into custody without incident, but police said his passenger - a juvenile girl from Waukee - was unresponsive and had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in critical condition, authorities said.

Rangel now faces one count of eluding resulting in injury, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison, as well as multiple traffic offenses. The crash remains under investigation.