Hunter
09/19/22
A Burlington man who allegedly committed two shootings early Sunday was arrested following a high-speed pursuit in North Liberty later that morning.
Authorities named 31-year-old Wesley Chamblee as a suspect in two separate shootings; the first one was in Burlington just before 4 am. Police found a 29-year-old man with a non-life threatening gunshot wound; he was transported to a local hospital. Chamblee was identified as the shooter, and he reportedly took a 28-year-old woman with him against her will. She was reportedly shot by Chamblee in Louisa County as she tried to run away from him. She too suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
A Johnson County deputy spotted the suspect vehicle, a silver Hyundai, around 8:40 am and activated lights and siren.
The Iowa State Patrol got involved partway through the pursuit, as Chamblee was heading northbound on Coral Ridge Avenue from Holiday Drive in the southbound lanes. Chamblee was traveling at a speed of approximately 70 miles per hour, and vehicles had to swerve to avoid a head-on collision with him.
The pursuit ended when Chamblee, who was on the north sidewalk of Forevergreen Road heading east, pulled back onto the road in the westbound lane. He had time to stop or swerve to miss an oncoming vehicle, but instead drove directly into it.
Once Chamblee was stopped, a handgun was reportedly found in his vehicle. Police say the firearm matched the caliber used in the shootings earlier in the day, and was allegedly found to be stolen.
Chamblee was taken into custody and was charged with Eluding and Assault while displaying a Dangerous Weapon. He could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison if convicted.
Chamblee has been charged with First Degree Kidnapping, Burglary, Willful Injury, Going Armed with Intent, Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, and Aggravated Assault with a Weapon from the earlier incidents. The Kidnapping charge alone is a class A Felony punishable by life in prison.