A Des Moines man was arrested after allegedly stealing a vehicle and leading law enforcement on a pursuit that began in Van Meter and ended south of Panora Friday night.

According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, at about 9 p.m. the Van Meter Police Department engaged in a pursuit with a red Ford Focus westbound on Interstate 80. The vehicle fled towards Adel where authorities lost track. An Iowa State Patrol Trooper went to check the gas station in Redfield and located the vehicle southbound towards Dexter. The pursuit continued westbound on I-80, where the vehicle was allegedly traveling over 100 miles per hour. The vehicle then exited and drove north through Stuart on Wagon Road. A Deputy successfully deployed stop sticks near Nations Bridge Park, but the suspect continued northbound and a second set of stop sticks was successfully deployed by a Panora Police Officer near the Monteith Road intersection. A second Deputy received permission to use a PIT (pursuit intervention technique) maneuver to make contact with the Ford at a slow speed and pushed it into the ditch.

The suspect, 31-year-old Robert Eugene Wimer, was arrested and taken to the Guthrie County Jail, where he is being held on a $10,000 bond. The Ford was reported stolen by the Des Moines Police Department on May 1st. Wimer is charged with second degree theft and eluding, both class D felonies. Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.