A highspeed pursuit swept through Keokuk before continuing through Illinois on Sunday morning. At approximately 10:02 am, an officer with the Keokuk Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a Chevrolet near North 5th Street and Grand Avenue. The driver of the vehicle was identified by the officer as Travis E. Scott, 45, of Keokuk. Scott was known by the officer to have active felony arrest warrants as well as a suspended driving status.
Scott would ignore visual and audible emergency signals, leading the officer on a pursuit into Illinois. Illinois authorities were requested to provide assistance. The pursuit would continue on North Highway 96 into Nauvoo, before Scott would then reverse course, traveling back towards Keokuk on North Highway 96.
The pursuit would continue back to the Keokuk/Hamilton bridge. The highest speed reported during the pursuit was 90 miles per hour.
Another Keokuk officer successfully deployed a tire deflation device on the vehicle driven by Scott on the Iowa side of the Keokuk/Hamilton bridge, significantly disabling the vehicle and preventing the vehicle from continuing at high speeds. Scott would continue on Main Street, colliding with a vehicle at 7th and Main Street. There were no injuries reported at the time of that collision.
Scott would continue to 8th and Main, striking one of the Keokuk Police Department squad cars, causing damage. Scott would then turn north on North 8th Street, where he would eventually lose control of the vehicle, striking a stop sign at Grand Avenue. As officers boxed the suspect vehicle in, Scott would strike another Keokuk squad car in an attempt to flee, causing significant damage. Officers were able to take Scott into custody at that time.
Certified narcotics K9 Officer Zsolt was deployed, performing a free-air sniff on the outside of the suspect vehicle. Zsolt would alert on the vehicle, resulting in the vehicle being searched by law enforcement for illegal narcotics. Items that support the charges were collected.
Scott is charged with Driving While Suspended, a simple misdemeanor; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor; Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Offense (Marijuana), a serious misdemeanor; Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Offense (Methamphetamine), an aggravated misdemeanor; Interference With Official Acts Causing Bodily Injury, a serious misdemeanor; Eluding, a class D felony; a felony warrant for Escape From Custody out of Des Moines County; and a felony warrant for Violation of Probation out of Lee County. Scott was also cited for various traffic offenses related to this incident.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton Police Department, Fort Madison Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Consolidated Dispatch assisted the Keokuk Police Department during this investigation.
An arrest is merely an accusation supported by probable cause; all defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.