Police Use Stop Sticks to Slow Vehcile

URBANA - It took stop sticks to make an Oxford man realize that he had been unwittingly leading police on a ten-mile pursuit early Thursday night.

Aaron Helterbran, 61, was arrested for eluding authorities and reckless driving at around the 31 mile-marker on Interstate 380. Urbana Police had attempted to pull Helterbran over on the outskirts of Urbana after they noticed his Chevy Blazer did not have proper license plates.

Helterbran, apparently, continued driving southbound on I-380.

Linn County Sheriff's deputies deployed stop sticks at the 32 mile-marker where a three vehicle accident had funneled traffic into one lane. Urbana Police officer Andrew Nissen said Helterbran slowed down for the emergency lights in front of him, just not behind him.

“The stop sticks made him pull over,” Nissen said.

Nissen said the pursuit never peaked above the speed-limit and that no lives were endangered during the chase.

“He said he didn't see us,” Nissen said. “It was the strangest thing I've ever seen.”