DES MOINES, Iowa — A wrong-way driver led deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on a chase in the Des Moines metro early Tuesday morning and ultimately got away.

A news release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said its deputies responded to the area of NE 14th Street and Interstate 80 around 4:15 a.m. after receiving a report of a wrong-way driver on I-80. The vehicle left the interstate and headed southbound on E 14th Street.

The vehicle was spotted near East Madison Avenue and Dixon Street, where the PCSO says it was speeding as it turned south on Dixon. The vehicle then traveled east onto East Euclid, where it ran the red light and swerved between lanes. At the I-235 interchange, the vehicle entered oncoming traffic on Euclid and turned northbound in the southbound lanes of I-235.

The PCSO says the chase was discontinued at that time.

A short time later, deputies found the suspect vehicle at the 12.7 mile marker of I-235, where it had gone off the road and struck a tree in the west ditch. The PCSO said the vehicle was empty when they arrived.

The Des Moines Fire Department was called to assist because there was heavy smoke coming from the crashed vehicle.

A drone and a K9 were used to try to locate the driver but were unsuccessful.

The PCSO is continuing to investigate.