3 PIT stops, 80 mph later, police chase ends in Davenport
A 31-year-old Davenport man was released on bond after Davenport Police allege officers used a PIT maneuver three times while a suspect drove more than 80 mph in a pursuit, court records show.
Austin Gilbert faces a felony charge of eluding – speed over 25 mph over the limit; and serious misdemeanor charges of operating while under the influence – first offense, interference with official acts – bodily injury, and false report of an indictable offense to a public entity, court records show.
Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Sunday, a uniformed Davenport Police Officer in a marked patrol vehicle was in the area of Northwest Boulevard and North Division Street when a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado was observed traveling north on North Division Street through Northwest Boulevard at a high rate of speed, police allege in affidavits.
Police allege in affidavits that, while the truck traveled north, Gilbert was driving more than 80 mph in a 45 mph zone. Also, the truck failed to stay in its lane and began drifting into the oncoming lanes.
Court records show the officer initiated a traffic stop by activating emergency lights and sirens on North Division Street to the north of West 76th Street.
Gilbert, police allege in affidavits, refused to obey the officer’s signal to stop his vehicle and began accelerating away from the marked patrol car. A pursuit was then authorized. While fleeing northbound on Northwest Boulevard from West 76th Street, Gilbert exceeded 80 mph in a 45 mph zone, police allege in affidavits.
Gilbert then drove east onto the westbound I-80 exit ramp toward Northwest Boulevard, traveling against the flow of traffic and head-on at two occupied cars, police allege in affidavits.
Affidavits say the Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) was used to prevent Gilbert from driving into oncoming traffic on westbound I-80. The PIT was successful and Gilbert’s truck was then facing west.
Officers allege in affidavits they saw Gilbert holding a 24-ounce can of Twisted Tea: Hard Iced Tea (5% of alcohol per volume). He continued to flee from officers and was traveling over 80 mph (in a 45 mph zone) southbound on Northwest Boulevard from West 76th Street, police say in affidavits.
Officers conducted another PIT maneuver at Valley Drive on North Pine Street, and tried to contain the truck, but Gilbert accelerated through a front yard of the 5500 block of North Pine Street and kept going, according to affidavits, which say a final PIT maneuver was conducted on the 2200 block of West 55th Street and the truck was immobilized.
Gilbert got out of the truck and took off while officers told him to stop. He was taken into custody but an officer’s right hand was injured because he resisted arrest, affidavits show.
Gilbert consented to a search of his truck and officers located two empty 24-ounce cans of Twisted Tea: Hard Iced Tea. The odor of an alcoholic beverage emanated from Gilbert’s breath, and he had bloodshot/watery eyes and slurred speech, according to affidavits.
Gilbert said he had crack cocaine in a body orifice “and requested that officers take him to the hospital. Officers transported the defendant to the hospital and medical staff concluded that the defendant didn’t have anything” there, police say in affidavits.
Gilbert is set for a preliminary hearing March 12 in Scott County Court.
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