One man is facing a long list of offenses after stealing a dump truck in Keokuk. On Monday evening just before 8:30pm, a white dump truck with an attached trailer was noted driving erratically near 12th and Main streets. The truck was loaded with a small excavator. The driver would later be identified as Joseph Leeper, 48, of Keokuk.
The Officer activated his emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop on the driver. Leeper chose to disregard the lights and sirens and lead Officers on a pursuit.
While traveling east on Timea Street at speeds estimated in excess of 40 miles per hour, at 16th and Timea, Leeper swerved in the dump truck causing a loss of the trailer and excavator in the 1500 block of Timea. The excavator would land on two vehicles parked in that area, causing total losses to both. These vehicles would be towed from the scene.
This chaos would continue, as Leeper turned into the Oakland Cemetery. The dump truck would collide with several headstones within the cemetery before Officers were able to position their patrol vehicles in a fashion to ensure the pursuit could not continue.
Leeper was taken into custody without further issue. It was determined through an investigation that Leeper had entered a structure and stole keys to the dump truck, which already had the loaded trailer attached to it. He then stole the dump truck, leading Officers on a pursuit endangering the lives of our citizens, damaging vehicles, a utility pole, and a mailbox.
Leeper is charged with Burglary 3rd Degree Second Offense, a class D felony, Theft 1st Degree, a class C felony, Eluding 2nd or Subsequent Offense, an aggravated misdemeanor, Driving While License Revoked, a serious misdemeanor, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. Leeper also received 23 traffic citations related to this incident.
This is an ongoing investigation.
The LeeComm Dispatch Center, Keokuk Fire Department, Lee County Ambulance Service, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and Rairden’s Auto Salvage and Towing provided valuable assistance during this event.