DES MOINES, Iowa — Around 6:30 a.m. law enforcement dispatchers received calls regarding a semi truck with a chain dragging and creating sparks on Interstate 80.

“The original reports came in about 15 miles west of Council Bluffs on Interstate 80, and around the Harlan, Avoca exit on Interstate 80 is where the first troopers encountered the semi,” said Sgt. Alex Dinkla, of the Iowa State Patrol. “They went up and tried to initiate a traffic stop, try to get the driver’s attention to have that driver pull over. That driver did acknowledge that the troopers were next to the semi trying to stop it.”

There were several attempts to stop the truck with stop sticks. The front tires on the truck were flattened, but the drive tires and trailer tires remained inflated for a time.

“We want to make sure we take the safety of the public seriously when we’re involved in these pursuits,” said Dinkla. “That’s what we did this morning shutting down different on ramps making sure that more traffic doesn’t get involved in that pursuit and be affected in that area.”

Finally, the truck was forced to exit into the Dallas County Weigh Station. The driver was removed from the truck, and taken to a local hospital for a possible medical condition. Charges in the incident are pending.

“It was a very serious situation. That’s why this morning, that’s why you saw dozens of agencies convene and drop what they were doing to be able to partake in this incident this morning,” said Dinkla. “Whether they were actively engaged in the pursuit, whether they were shutting down an onramp, or whether they were preparing here in the metro area.”

Dinkla said the officers had a plan to stop the truck from entering the Des Moines metro area.

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