By Beacon Staff
A high-speed chase on U.S. 61 that began Thursday afternoon in Fort Madison ended with stop sticks and a crash outside of Burlington.
According to Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone, no one was seriously injured in the accident.
The chase began when Simarius Jefferson, 22, of Fort Madison allegedly stole a silver Ford car from the Casey’s General Store on Avenue H in Fort Madison. Lee County Sheriff deputies chased the vehicle north of U.S. 61, heading into Burlington.
Lee County deputies contacted the Des Moines County Sheriff’s office as the chase reached speeds of up to 90 mph, allow officers time to deploy stop sticks along the highway. After hitting the stop sticks, two of the tires on the stolen silver car slowly deflated. Johnstone said the sticks were deployed right around the area of the Comfort Suites on U.S. 61.
The vehicle continued on the highway for a bit, before rear-ending another vehicle on the highway outside of Burlington city limits, near Mason Road.
Deputies arrested Jefferson on the spot, aided by Burlington and West Burlington police. The front bumper of the car he allegedly stole detached during the accident and was lodged in the rear bumper of the car he crashed into.
Jefferson was arrested and hit with multiple charges related to the car theft and ensuing chase.
It was not Jefferson’s first arrest this year. In April, Jefferson was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear, first-degree theft and being a fugitive from justice. He was arrested again earlier this month for a probation violation.
Johnstone was unsure if anyone was taken to the hospital, but said no one was seriously injured in the accident.