Hunter
09/12/21
A Chicago-area man was taken into custody early Saturday morning after a police pursuit of his vehicle ended when he crashed onto the front lawn of University of Iowa president Barbara Wilson.
According to reports, 18-year-old Ira Wright of Vernon Hills Illinois committed a traffic violation near Clinton and Burlington Streets at about 1:25 am Saturday, and ignored emergency lights and sirens. He reportedly continued north on Clinton Street at a high rate of speed, running multiple lights and entering the southbound lanes of traffic.
Shortly afterwards, Wright crashed his vehicle on the lawn of Wilson’s residence. The Gazette reports that Wright’s Mercedes took out a wrought-iron railing on a set of stairs going up the front walk. Video footage shows him exiting his vehicle from the driver’s side, and officers yelling for him to get down. Wright repeatedly stated that he didn’t have weapon and was handcuffed. Upon contact, Wright allegedly had bloodshot watery eyes, impaired speech, and had the odor of ingested alcohol. He had a bar wristband on, and reportedly admitted to using a fake ID to gain entrance to the bar.
Wright’s vehicle allegedly had several open containers of beer inside. A search of his person turned up the fake ID, a Wisconsin license making him appear to be of legal drinking age.
Wright refused field testing, a PBT and Datamaster.
He faces a number of charges, including Eluding, OWI first offense, possession of a fake ID, driving while suspended, public intoxication, reckless driving, failure to obey traffic devices, possession of alcohol while under legal age, and a financial liability violation. If convicted on all counts, Wright could face up to over seven years in prison.