Lang
10/7/23
A new felony charge has been added in the case of an armed kidnapping suspect who allegedly led University of Iowa Police on a chase through Iowa City.
38-year-old Christopher Morgan, who was living with the alleged victim in her 2015 Jeep Renegade near Walcott at the time of the incident, now faces a felony Eluding charge on top of numerous other charges.
Arrest records indicate Morgan dropped the alleged victim off at the UI Hospitals and Clinics just after 3:30 Tuesday afternoon after assaulting her with a pistol and threatening to kill her.
UI Police initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Byington Road. At that point, the vehicle fled and a pursuit ensued.
Police say Morgan abandoned his vehicle near the intersection of Tanglewood Street and Ventura Avenue, near Dubuque Street and Interstate 80, and fled on foot. He was taken into custody north of I-80, just south of Kyle Drive NE, at approximately 3:58 p.m.
New information from the Eluding charge indicates as the Jeep was travelling along Riverside Drive and Iowa Avenue, it left the roadway and traveled on a sidewalk at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, nearly hitting multiple pedestrians. It also ran red lights and drove against oncoming traffic. Police say Morgan threw a gun out of the vehicle during the pursuit.
Morgan is charged with 1st Degree Kidnapping, 1st Degree Harassment, Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury, Eluding, Dominion or Control of a Firearm by a Domestic Abuser, Domestic Abuse Assault – 3rd or Subsequent Offense, Interference With Official Acts Involving a Firearm, Driving While Suspended, and multiple traffic violations. The kidnapping charge alone carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The other charges would total 27 years behind bars.