Keokuk, IA- The Keokuk Police Department has announced the arrest of a man following a pursuit involving a dump truck.
According to a news release, at about 8:26 PM Monday, August 26th, a Keokuk Police Officer observed a white dump truck with an attached trailer carrying a small excavator driving erratically near 12th and Main Streets. The dump truck was swerving in and out of lanes of traffic as well as driving through areas designated for parking.
The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the truck but the driver, 48-year-old Joseph Leeper of Keokuk, refused to stop and led officers on a pursuit from 12th and Main to South 24th, south to Johnson Street, east to South 22nd Street, then south Timea Street.
While going east on Timea at speeds over 40 miles per hour, the dump truck swerved, causing the loss of the trailer and excavator, which would land on two vehicles in a parking area causing total losses to both.
Leeper would eventually turn south on 15th Street, then west on Carroll Street, eventually entering the Oakland Cemetery colliding with several headstones before officers were able to end the pursuit and take Leeper into custody.
Officers learned that Leeper had entered a structure and stolen the keys to the dump truck, which already had the trailer attached to it. He then stole the truck and led authorities on the pursuit, damaging vehicles, a utility pole, and a mailbox.
Leeper is charged with 3rd Degree Burglary Second Offense, 1st Degree Theft, Eluding 2nd or Subsequent Offense, Driving While License Revoked, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Leeper was also issued 23 traffic citations related to the incident.
