Hunter
7/2/19
Men from Iowa City and Coralville are accused of leading Cedar Rapids police on a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle Saturday night.
Officers spotted a 2009 Hyundai at approximately 7pm and learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen sometime between midnight Friday and 7am Saturday.
The keys had been left in the vehicle.
The Gazette reports that when a traffic stop was attempted, the chase began. The two occupants of the vehicle sped through the southeast part of town breaking the speed limit by at least 25 miles per hour. At one point the vehicle was going 80 in a 25-miles per hour zone.
The chase ended when the pursuing officer backed off due to the vehicle blowing through stop signs and other traffic lights, passing cars in an unsafe manner.
The Hyundai struck several objects during the chase. It was found in the 1400 block of Third Avenue Southeast, with the two occupants found hiding nearby in separate locations.
They were identified as 23-year old Daniel Hodges of Coralville and 53-year-old Thomas Preyear of Iowa City. Hodges, the driver, is charged with second degree theft, attempt to elude, interference with official acts, possession of drug paraphernalia and multiple traffic violations. Hodges has an active warrant out of Johnson County on third degree burglary and third degree theft charges.
Preyear was charged with unlawful possession of prescription drugs and interference with official acts. He had two active warrants; one out of Bremer County on possession of drug paraphernalia and one out of Johnson County on drug charges.