Lang
12/20/20
A wanted Coralville man has been arrested after allegedly leading police on a chase earlier this week.
23-year-old Jamaal Brooks was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after 7:30 Friday night. Iowa City Police say Brooks was the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta that sped by an officer parked near the corner of Muscatine Avenue and 4th Avenue just after 8:15 Wednesday night. The officer in the patrol car said his vehicle shook as Brooks sped by, leading him to turn on his radar and clock Brooks doing 53 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone.
When the officer activated his lights and siren, Brooks allegedly turned down a side street. The officer caught up to him on F Street, but Brooks allegedly turned off his headlights, accelerated to 60 miles per hour and turned southbound onto 6th Avenue. Police say Brooks then stopped the car and fled on foot through nearby backyards, escaping capture.
There were several items inside Brooks’ car identifying him as the driver. Police say the vehicle also smelled of burnt marijuana.
Records from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office identified Brooks as a resident of the Iowa Lodge on the Coralville Strip. Surveillance video from the complex shows Brooks leaving his apartment and getting inside the Volkswagen just after 8pm. He is seen wearing the same clothing as the suspect who fled from the vehicle. Brooks later denied having possession of the vehicle despite the video evidence.
Brooks is charged with Eluding, Driving While Suspended, Interference with Official Acts and Speeding. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of 25 months in jail.
Police records indicate Brooks had just been released from jail hours before the chase after spending several weeks in custody for a probation violation. Brooks was convicted on multiple charges stemming from a July 2019 fight at the Iowa Lodge where he was found with a knife and brass knuckles. He was also convicted for stealing wallets at the University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, and using a stolen credit card at the Iowa City Walmart.