Officials: 2 fugitives arrested after leading Iowa officials on a 140-mph, 54-mile chase across 3 counties

The Des Moines Register

Editor's note: This story has been updated

A car carrying two fugitives was physically forced to a stop by Iowa law enforcement after leading officers on a high-speed chase for nearly 60 miles.

Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said the pursuit started at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 71 in Cass County. When troopers tried to pull over Fredrick Gordon II of Kentucky and Anthony Jerome Jones of Georgia for speeding, the two sped off, topping 130 mph as they led law enforcement across three counties.

Jones has been identified as the driver, according to a news release sent Wednesday by the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

Anthony Jerome Jones of Georgia and Frederick Edward Gordon II of Kentucky shown in their Dallas County Jail mugshots. The two were arrested after a high-speed chase in central Iowa and were wanted for warrants in other states.

"The vehicle got on Interstate 80 and went eastbound," Ludwig said Tuesday. "The pursuit lasted close to about 54 miles, reaching speeds of 133 mph."

Dallas County deputies picked up the pursuit near mile marker 106, according to the news release, and reported speeds reaching 140 mph. Van Meter police put out stop sticks near mile marker 113 and the driver of the speeding Lexus' last control, the release states.

As the car continued to speed away, officials employed a more direct tactic.

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"They were passing on the shoulder, they were weaving in and out of lanes and they were coming into the (Des Moines area)," Ludwig said. "It was one of those things where they're doing everything they can to get away, and we have to get the pursuit stopped."

Deputies got alongside the car past mile marker 113, and forced it toward into the median, driving the car into a cable barrier. The men were taken to hospitals in Dallas County, but their injuries did not appear to be serious, Ludwig said.

Gordon is wanted on seven warrants, including a nationwide order, Ludwig said, for alleged credit card fraud. He will be extradited to Kentucky, according to Dallas County officials.

Jones is wanted on a statewide warrant in Georgia for charges including auto theft. He has also been charged in Dallas County with felony eluding, failure to have a license, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance, speeding and having illegally tinted windows.

The state patrol will asses additional traffic violations, the release states.

Follow the Register on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at 515-284-8378, tjdavis@dmreg.com or on Twitter @TDavisDMR.