Casey, Iowa – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, Tuesday afternoon (8/30), released additional details about the pursuit of a motorcycle that ended in a fatal crash in Guthrie County, early Tuesday morning (8/30). The Sheriff reports shortly after midnight on August 30, 2022, an Adair County sheriff’s deputy was patrolling in the area of Adair-Madison Avenue and the Interstate 80 interchange at the 97mm. The deputy observed a parked motorcycle on the shoulder of the overpass. The individual sitting on the motorcycle appeared to be slumped over. A motorist assist/welfare check was performed and the individual indicated that he was just cold and had stopped to rest and/or warm up.

After the deputy had returned to his patrol unit, the deputy ran a check of the license plate that was displayed upon the motorcycle. The response showed that the motorcycle had been reported as having been stolen out of St. Cloud, Minnesota. The motorcycle had already gotten back onto Interstate 80 and was traveling westbound when the deputy attempted to catch up with and execute a traffic stop of the motorcycle. The operator of the motorcycle failed to yield to the deputy’s emergency lights and siren and continued westbound until exiting at Adair. The motorcycle fled north out of the City of Adair and into Guthrie County and was traveling back eastbound toward Casey.

Guthrie County Deputy Todd Thorn waiting to assist with the pursuit was stopped on Juniper Avenue on the south side of the intersection facing northbound, when the motorcycle veered south from White Pole Road and struck the rear, driver’s side of the Deputy’s 2021 Chevy Silverado pickup on Juniper Avenue.

The Iowa State Patrol identified the operator as 30-year-old Benjamin Todd Wilber of Mora, Minnesota. Wilber died at the scene from injuries he suffered in the collision. It was later determined that the Wilber had an active warrant for his arrest issued out of Anoka County, Minnesota for the charge of Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle. The Iowa State Patrol is continuing to investigate the collision.