Two 18-year-old Newton residents are facing felony charges after a stolen Corvette pursuit on Interstate 80 reached speeds exceeding 140 miles per hour before the driver intentionally drove the vehicle into a ditch northeast of Altoona, coming to rest in a bean field, according to a press release from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. The driver had been released from jail just one day earlier after a family member posted his bond on a separate assault charge — the same family member who was later identified as the owner of the stolen vehicle.
The Newton Police Department received a report of a stolen 2007 Chevrolet Corvette at approximately 5:08 p.m. on October 12th. At approximately 7:58 p.m., a Jasper County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted the stolen vehicle traveling westbound on Interstate 80 near the 150-mile marker and attempted to initiate a traffic stop near the Mitchellville Rest Area. When the deputy activated emergency lights, the driver fled westbound into Polk County at speeds exceeding 140 miles per hour before intentionally driving the Corvette into a ditch northeast of Altoona, coming to rest in a bean field. Both occupants were taken into custody without further incident.
The driver, Braiden Billings, 18, of Newton, has been charged with Theft in the First Degree Against an Older Individual, a Class B Felony, Theft in the First Degree of a Motor Vehicle, a Class C Felony, Felony Eluding — Speed Over 25 Over the Limit, a Class D Felony, Failure to Obey a Steady Red Light, and three counts of Failure to Obey a Stop Sign. Billings is being held in the Jasper County Jail on a $41,151.52 bond.
Billings had previously been held in the Jasper County Jail on an assault charge and was released after posting bond on October 11th — just one day before the incident. The bond had been posted by a family member who was later identified as the victim of the stolen vehicle.
The passenger, Natalee Ryan, 18, of Newton, has been charged with Theft in the First Degree Against an Older Individual, a Class B Felony, and is being held on a $25,000 bond.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, the Colfax Police Department, and the Prairie City Police Department.
