A late-night vehicle pursuit that began in Fairfield and stretched through three counties ended with two Ottumwa residents in custody, according to a press release from the Fairfield Police Department.
At approximately 10:42 p.m. Thursday, April 23rd, Fairfield Police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop near the intersection of South 3rd Street and Washington Avenue after a registration check revealed the vehicle — a white 2002 Oldsmobile Aurora — had expired registration dating back to September 2022. The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit began.
According to court documents, the vehicle continued southbound and turned onto South 8th Street, where a second officer joined the pursuit. The vehicle then drove through a yard and through a residential fence before continuing to flee. The driver fled south on 6th Street, west onto Harrison Avenue, south on 7th Street, and east on Libertyville Road before heading south on Highway 1 and exiting the city limits.
The pursuit continued into Van Buren County, back into Jefferson County, and then into Wapello County, lasting approximately 37 minutes. During the chase, the vehicle reached speeds of approximately 120 mph. Stop sticks were successfully deployed, deflating the vehicle’s tires. The vehicle came to rest in a small embankment just north of Agency, Iowa, at which point the driver exited and fled on foot. A short foot pursuit followed before the driver was taken into custody.
A Jefferson County K9 unit conducted a free-air sniff of the vehicle on scene and alerted to the odor of narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up a clear plastic bag containing methamphetamine on the back middle seat, within arm’s reach of both the driver’s and passenger’s seats.
Edward Steven Feeney, 25, of Ottumwa, was charged with the following:
- Eluding — Speed 25 MPH Over Speed Limit — Second or Subsequent Offense (Class C Felony)
- Driving While Barred (Aggravated Misdemeanor)
- Possession of a Controlled Substance — Second Offense (Aggravated Misdemeanor)
- Interference with Official Acts (Simple Misdemeanor)
- Leave Scene of Accident — Failure to Provide Aid or Information (Non-Scheduled Violation)
- Reckless Driving (Non-Scheduled Violation)
- Twelve additional scheduled violations including speeding, failure to maintain control, and improper use of lanes, and more
Court documents note that Feeney was previously convicted of an eluding offense in Scott County on April 4th, 2019, and of possession of a controlled substance in Wapello County on May 12th, 2022.
Christina Marie Wagner, 34, also of Ottumwa, was a passenger in the vehicle and was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance — Methamphetamine — Third or Subsequent Offense, a Class D felony. Court documents indicate Wagner was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance in Wapello County on March 22nd, 2018 and again on September 25th, 2019.
Both Feeney and Wagner were transported to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility and are being held pending their initial court appearances, which are delayed as court is not being held Friday, April 24th.
The Fairfield Police Department was assisted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, and 8th Judicial District Probation/Parole.
