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Nothing makes a long day of driving a semi-truck worse than being choked by tear gas. But one New Jersey trucker refused to stop for police officers and led them on a 75-mile chase. Now he’s in the hospital with ending charges. 

New Jersey trucker leads cops on a 75-mile chase 

Pretending not to notice flashing police lights for 75 miles is pretty intense. But one New Jersey trucker simply refused to pull over. 

Iowa State Patrol troopers rolled out in full force to look for the semi-truck on Interstate 80 near Underwood in western Iowa around 6:30 am. 

They were responding to multiple reports of a semi-truck dragging a chain from 911 dispatch centers. It was creating sparks against the pavement. 

Police officers finally located the big rig around Avoca, but the driver didn’t respond to commands to pull over. According to KCCI, he has not been publicly identified. 

Multiple law enforcement agencies teamed up to stop the driver as he continued driving for 75 miles. They deployed stop sticks as the truck approached the Des Moines Metro and successfully deflated multiple tires. 

An ambulance on the road with its lights on
Ambulance van | iStock

But he kept driving on his rims until 8:10 am when officers forced him to pull off at the weigh station before Van Meter and Wauke. 

The driver refused to exit his cab, so police officers deployed tear gas to force him out. He was then taken to the hospital and officers were left confused. 

Sargent Alex Dinkla shared that it’s unclear why he didn’t pull over because he didn’t seem like he intended to harm anyone. He drove with due regard for the safety of others. The driver was taking measures to be as safe as possible while refusing to stop. 

Now along with pending charges he may have hospital bills to face. Plus, his truck needs new tires and could have been damaged during the pursuit.

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.