News : "West" Bound and Down

It wasn't Smokey and the Bandit, but if you're on Highway 30, be careful out there. On Saturday, area law enforcement had the task of trying to stop an 80,000 pound semi with government-issued vehicles. The chase originated in Benton County but sped out of the county and included officers from Tama County, Iowa State Patrol and the Belle Plaine Police Department. Tama County Sheriff's Department said, "Not every day do you end up in a pursuit with a semi.Earlier today, a reckless semi driver came west out of Benton County on Highway 30. The driver made it into Tama County, where Deputy Boldt and Deputy Wall joined with the Benton County Sheriff's Office, Iowa State Patrol, and Belle Plaine Police Department to get it stopped safely.Once the semi driver finally came to a stop, a felony stop was conducted and the driver was taken into custody without incident. There is also suspicion of impaired driving, which might explain why the route made less sense than a roundabout in a cornfield.A fully loaded semi in the wrong hands is a 40-ton bad idea. We are thankful no one was hurt and proud of the teamwork.And just so we are clear. This was not a high-speed delivery. There was no express shipping option. The only thing getting hauled was that driver… straight to jail."Thank you to all of our officers for the service they provide!