A Cass County man faces numerous charges following a traffic stop that resulted in a high-speed pursuit late Wednesday evening. Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh McLaren told KJAN News that chase began after he tried to stop a red Chevy pickup on the northwest side of Massena at 740th and Quincy Road, just before 9-p.m.

McLaren said he knew the driver, 28-year old Trel Curtis Peterson, of Cumberland, and that the man did not have a valid driver’s license. When the deputy activated his lights and sirens, Peterson failed to pull-over. A pursuit ensured westbound on Quincy Road with the pickup reaching speeds that approached 100-miles per hour. He says the chase continued on several roads.

Deputy Kyle Quist picked up the pursuit as the pickup headed east on Victoria Road. During the pursuit, the pickup nearly collided with Quist’s SUV, as well as other vehicles, and it nearly hit a man who was trying to retrieve his mail from his box on a rural road. The chase wound its way toward the southeast corner of Massena on various county roads before the pickup found its way onto a dirt road that had become muddy following the recent heavy rains. The deputies didn’t want to risk getting stuck, so they circumvented the mud road. The suspect wasn’t so lucky. Deputy Quist located the vehicle on the road, parked in front of 67213 760th Street. The vehicle had been abandoned.

Peterson was found hiding near an outbuilding on the property. He surrendered to Quist and his K-9 partner, “Vader,” at 9:17-p.m. McLaren said despite efforts by several law enforcement agencies to locate a passenger in the pickup, that person was not found. He said they “Have a pretty good idea who that subject was,” and that charges are pending completion of the investigation.

Peterson, meanwhile faces a litany of charges. They include eluding law enforcement, reckless driving, speeding, driving under suspension, violation of a restricted license, carrying a concealed weapon, No SR-22 insurance, possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia, OWI/drug-related, and a pending charge of assault on a peace officer.

The man was being held in the Cass County Jail, pending an appearance before the magistrate. McLaren says the Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the incident by deputies from the Shelby, Adair, Adams and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Departments, the Iowa State Patrol, an Iowa State Patrol aircraft, Red Oak P-D and Atlantic P-D K-9 units, and Atlantic P-D Reserves.