A chase of two stolen vehicles late Wednesday morning in Pottawattamie County resulted in the two people being arrested on multiple charges. Pott. County Chief Deputy John Reynolds told KJAN News the incident began at around 11:48-a.m., with a dispatch from the Pott. County Communications Center pertaining to the theft of a vehicle from the 16,000 block of 275^th Street, or just west of Treynor.

A white Chevy S-10 pickup was reported stolen from the residence, and there were reports a blue Ford F-150 was following the Chevy. There were also reports the resident whose pickup was stolen was also trying to follow the alleged thief. Reynolds said a sheriff’s deputy responding to the area intercepted the S-10 still being followed by the Ford, in the area of 170^th and Honeysuckle.

The deputy confirmed the S-10 was stolen, and turned to initiate a traffic stop. At that point, both vehicles took off and a lengthy chase ensued. The chase wound along a gravel road near Iowa State Patrol Post #3 at about Hunt and Highway 6. During the chase, several State Troopers and additional sheriff’s deputies deployed “stop sticks,” which hit the mark and punctured tires on both vehicles. That didn’t end the chase, however.

Reynolds said the S-10 ultimately failed to negotiate a corner and wrecked. The driver, 27-year old Lee Vohs, from Council Bluffs, was taken into custody on 2^nd degree theft, eluding, burglary in the 3^rd degree, theft in the 1^st degree, and resisting arrest, charges. He suffered minor injuries during the crash, and was treated at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs before being booked into the Pott. County Jail.

The F-150, which lost its right front wheel and was still being pursued by a sheriff’s deputy, continued back into Council Bluffs and got on to I-80 eastbound. Despite having only three wheels, the pickup was clocked at speeds of up to 100-miles per hour. It left the interstate at the Underwood exit and went east on G-30 before turning off onto County Road L-52, towards McClelland. After a State Trooper initiated a “PIT” maneuver, the pickup crashed into a ditch.

The driver, 24-year old Whitney Koontz, of Smithville, MO., was arrested for Possession of Narcotics, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, eluding and theft in the 1^st degree. The vehicle she was driving was determined to have been stolen from the 11,000 block of 270^th Street, or near Silver City. Koontz also suffered minor injuries, was treated and released from the hospital before being booked into the jail. None of the law enforcement officers were injured during the chase. The thefts are still under investigation, and additional charges are possible. Koontz and Vohs were being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $10,000 bond, each.