North Liberty squad car damaged after Highway 218 chase

NORTH LIBERTY - Police are trying to determine why a motorist seemingly drove a pickup into a North Liberty police car.

According to an Iowa City police news release, an officer was conducting a traffic stop on Highway 218 northbound near Melrose Avenue at 4:09 a.m. when they were sideswiped by a pickup pulling a trailer.

Police said the pickup driver - who was not identified - continued at a high rate of speed and was followed by a second Iowa City officer who was in the area. The driver continued north on Highway 218 - speeding and swerving continuously, according to police - and Iowa City police asked the North Liberty Police Department to deploy stop sticks on the highway.

The pursuing officer opted to discontinue the pursuit, police said.

Police said when the truck driver passed North Liberty at the 4 mile marker, they 'drove at a high rate of speed directly” into a North Liberty police squad car, which was parked on the side of the road. Police said they don't know at this time if the driver deliberately drove into the squad car.

The driver, who police described as being incapacitated, was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for non-life threatening injuries. The officers involved in the incident were not injured, but patrol vehicles belonging to both the Iowa City and North Liberty police departments were damaged.

'We are fortunate officers were not injured as a result of the crash,” said North Liberty Police Chief Diana Venenga.

Iowa City Police Sgt. Scott Gaarde said the Iowa City squad car sustained 'minimal functional damage,” while the North Liberty vehicle 'has significant, incapacitating damage.”

Police said charges are pending, and the Iowa City Police Department is investigating the truck driver's level of intoxication. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the two collisions.

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