DES MOINES, Iowa - The suspect involved in an overnight armed carjacking in Des Moines died in a crash near Fort Dodge after a 100-mile police chase, the Iowa State Patrol confirms.
Des Moines Police say the carjacking was reported about 3:30 Thursday morning in the 1700-block of University. Police dispatch audio suggests the carjacking happened shortly after report of a convenience store holdup in the area, but there is no confirmation if the two events are connected.
Police say the driver of the van was ordered out at gunpoint in the 1700 block of E. University Avenue.
About an hour later a Story City Police officer spotted the stolen van on I-35 and tried to pull the driver over, but instead the driver sped off, leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a pursuit across several counties.
The chase ended when the suspect crashed the stolen van on Highway 169, near Highway 7 west in Fort Dodge.
The Iowa State Patrol confirms the driver was killed in the crash. His name is not being released.