Teen Girls Lead Officers on High Speed Chase

Buchanan County authorities have arrested two teenage girls following a chase starting in Independence and ending with a crash in Hazleton.

The incident began shortly after 7 pm Sunday, April 28 when the sheriff got a 911 call about a vehicle that had been taken without permission, from the MHI (Mental Health Institute) campus, on the southwest side of Independence.

Within minutes, authorities received a report of two juvenile females who ran away from Four Oaks, a residential facility for juveniles, located in MHI.

The stolen vehicle was found in Independence, where an officer attempted to stop it. That's where the chase began, going through Independence, then northbound on Highway 150, reaching speeds of over 90 miles per hour.

The pursuit ended in Hazleton, where the vehicle turned left onto Hayes Street, and crashed into a street light, knocking it down. The vehicle also jumped a curb and ran into a chain-link fence. The two girls, ages 13 and 14, were arrested without any further incident.

The 13-year-old juvenile was arrested and charged with Operating Motor Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent, Eluding Law Enforcement, Reckless Driving, fifth-degree Criminal Mischief and numerous other traffic-related offenses including No Valid Driver License, Failure to Maintain Control as well as speed and stop sign violations.

The 14-year-old juvenile was arrested and charged with Operating Motor Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent, Eluding Law Enforcement, fifth-degree Criminal Mischief and other simple misdemeanor violations. Both girls were taken to a juvenile detention facility and referred to Juvenile Court Services.

The law enforcement agencies involved in the incident, include the Buchanan County Sheriff, Independence Police, Fayette County Sheriff, Iowa State Patrol, Hazleton Fire Department, and Oelwein MercyOne Ambulance.

No injuries were reported.