News : Jailed for OWI Monday, local man dies in crash after fleeing from police Tuesday

Officers begin investigating a fatal traffic accident north of Vinton just before 7 pm. Tuesday.

Graveside services will be held Oct. 4, for Scott T. Kirk, who died in this accident Tuesday.

Vinton police are assisting investigators from the Iowa State Patrol in investigating of a fatal single-vehicle crash two miles north of Vinton on Highway 150 Tuesday evening. The incident took place shortly after officers responding to a report of a possibly intoxicated driver stopped the vehicle in Vinton.

The driver of the vehicle was Scott Kirk, 50, of Vinton. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Phillips Funeral Home in Vinton is handling arrangments.

Previous arrest

"Mr. Kirk had a long history of alcohol and substance abuse violations, and had been arrested by the Vinton Police Department for OWI as recently as Monday, September 27th, and had been released from the Benton County Jail at apptoximately 7:30 am on the day of the fatal crash," said Vinton Police Chief Jeff Tilson. "Autopsy results and blood alcohol levels are pending, and will be released when they become available sometime next week."

Along with the Iowa State Patrol and VPD, other repsonding units were from the Benton County Sheriff's Office, the Vinton Fire Department and North Benton Ambulance.

Vinton Police Chief Jeff Tilson released the following information at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday:

Vinton Police received a complaint of an intoxicated driver operating a vehicle in Vinton at approximately 5:40 p.m. today. Vinton officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle within minutes of the initial report, and after attempting to stop the vehicle over a distance of several blocks, were able to do so at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 8th Street.

Upon officers approaching the vehicle and speaking with the male driver, who was the lone occupant, the driver started his vehicle and fled the scene of the traffic stop at a high rate of speed going north on 1st Avenue and onto Highway 150 going north out of Vinton, running 2 stop signs, vaulting a railroad crossing, and running a 4-way traffic light in the process.

Vinton Police, assisted by the Benton County Sheriff's Office, attempted to keep the fleeing vehicle in sight, unsuccessfully. Vinton Police in-car video shows that officers were never close enough to the fleeing vehicle to see it again once it fled the scene of the traffic stop.

The driver of the fleeing vehicle lost control and left the roadway approximately 1 1/2 miles north of Vinton on Highway 150 and hit several trees on the side of the road before coming to a stop on its top.

The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene by Benton County Medical Examiner Mark Deardon, D.O.

The Iowa State Patrol is handling the crash investigation.