Sioux Center, Iowa — The Sioux Center Police Department has released the name of the driver who is accused of crashing into a house while being pursued by police Tuesday morning, March 17th.
Sioux Center Police Chief Mike Halma says that the incident started as a fender bender in the Casey’s parking lot on Highway 75. One of the people involved in the accident then left the scene. A description was broadcast. A Sioux Center Police officer found the vehicle and attempted to stop it near First Avenue Northwest and Fourth Street Northwest, near City Hall. The vehicle gave chase and took off southbound, with the officer in pursuit. The pursuit ended with the driver losing control and crashing into a house at the end of Second Avenue Southwest, where it meets Ninth Street in a “T” intersection.
Sioux Center police have now identified the driver of the car as 23-year-old Semon Lionardo Lopez Lopez of Sioux Center. Police say Lopez Lopez was taken to Sioux Center Health and later transported to Avera in Sioux Falls.
Authorities say charges are pending further investigation.
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Original story posted 16:08, 3/18/2020
Sioux Center, Iowa — A home and vehicle sustained extensive damage and the driver was taken to a hospital in the aftermath of a police chase and crash in Sioux Center Tuesday morning.
Sioux Center Police Chief Mike Halma says that the incident started as a fender bender in the Casey’s parking lot on Highway 75. One of the people involved in the accident left the scene. A description was broadcast. A Sioux Center Police officer found the vehicle and attempted to stop it near First Avenue Northwest and Fourth Street Northwest, near City Hall. The vehicle gave chase and took off southbound, with the officer in pursuit. The pursuit ended with the driver losing control and crashing into a house at the end of Second Avenue Southwest, where it meets Ninth Street in a “T” intersection.
Halma says the driver, whose identity was not known when we talked to the chief, was taken to Sioux Center Health. While the home was occupied when it was struck, and the vehicle ended up completely inside the house, no one in the home was injured.
Chief Halma tells us that the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office is testing the driver to see if drugs and/or alcohol were a factor in the crash. He says the investigation continues.
