WATERLOO --- State authorities are investigating after a Waterloo man became unconscious and died following a chase through two counties Sunday night. The deceased was identified as 42-year-old Willie Earl Washington, but further details weren’t immediately available. The body has been sent to the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny to determine the cause of death. The autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday (Dec. 17). According to authorities, the pursuit began in Waterloo on East First Street shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday. The vehicle, a Ford Crown Victoria, fled, going at speeds of up to 90 mph north in the southbound lanes of Logan Avenue/Highway 63, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. During the chase, the Ford hit another vehicle and continued on.
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Waterloo police officers terminated the pursuit for safety reasons. Black Hawk County sheriff’s deputies found the Ford a short time later, at 7:15 p.m., driving on Cedar Wapsie Road, and the chase resumed, again at speeds of 90 mph for nine miles, and headed into Bremer County. Bremer County sheriff’s deputies used Stop Sticks near the Highway 63/Highway 3 intersection north of Denver to end the chase, and the driver was detained and placed in handcuffs. He then became unconscious while he was on the ground, authorities said. Deputies administered CPR, and an ambulance was dispatched, but Washington did not respond and later died, according to the DCI. DCI noted the pursuit and arrest were recorded on several vehicle cameras and officer body worn cameras. Agents with the DCI are investigating the incident, which is standard policy for in-custody deaths.
The results of the investigation will be forwarded to the Bremer County Attorney’s Office for review. The most dangerous cities to drive in America
The most dangerous cities to drive in America
More than 42,000 Americans died in car crashes in 2022, making these accidents a leading cause of death in the U.S. These deaths occurred during over 39,000 crashes that year—about one crash per 10,000 U.S. residents, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tallies. But in some cities, the roads are even more deadly. Truck Parking Club used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to rank the 25 cities with the highest accident rates, measured as accidents per 100,000 residents in 2022. Only cities with at least 10 fatal crashes and 20,000 residents were included in the analysis. Cities without available Census Bureau population estimates were not included. Fatal car crash rates fell for several decades as federal and state governments adopted safety regulations for vehicle manufacturers and occupants. But rates went up in 2020 and 2021, with increases in fatalities related to alcohol and speeding. When COVID-19 restrictions decreased the number of cars on the road, many drivers adopted risky driving behaviors that have persisted even as traffic returned to normal. While fatalities decreased in 2022, they remain higher than they've been in over a decade. Nearly all of the top 25 cities for fatal crashes were in the Southeast. Most were smaller cities: Over half had populations of fewer than 50,000, while only three had more than 100,000 residents. They also tended to be far from major cities. Geographic hazards exist in most, including hilly terrain, winding rivers, and dense forests. Nearly all have some type of waterfront—rivers, lakes, coasts, and the like—which are likely to pose distractions for drivers taking in the view. About half of the deadliest cities ranked here are in Georgia—nearly half of which sit within the Atlanta metro area. Though these may be considered suburbs of Atlanta, most are far from the city's downtown. Few are serviced by Atlanta's public transit systems, meaning anyone commuting to the city will almost certainly drive for at least part of their trip. In addition, Atlanta ranks as one of the worst highest-populated cities to drive in, according to a 2024 Forbes analysis . These factors add to the risk of accidents. Overall, Georgia ranks #14 in traffic fatalities per capita. Georgia Department of Transportation data suggests this is due to speeding, aggressive driving, and people not using seatbelts. Efforts are underway to minimize Georgia's traffic deaths. The state's transportation department received a $2.5 million grant to mitigate and decrease crashes, funding car seat distribution, crash data analysis, and education efforts for drivers over 55. Atlanta's Emory University and Grady Health System also received $4.4 million to study crashes in the metro area and research ways to reduce crashes. Still, Georgia isn't the full story. There were high-ranking cities for traffic fatalities in most U.S. regions. Read on to learn where. #25. Hot Springs, Arkansas
#24. Fort Myers, Florida
#23. Galveston, Texas
#22. Albany, Georgia
#21. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
#20. Macon, Georgia
#19. Ocala, Florida
#18. Elizabethtown, Kentucky
#17. LaGrange, Georgia
#16. Rome, Georgia
#15. Morristown, Tennessee
#14. Daytona Beach, Florida
#13. Lawrenceville, Georgia
#12. Memphis, Tennessee
#11. Flint, Michigan
#10. Kingman, Arizona
#9. Stockbridge, Georgia
#8. Gainesville, Georgia
#7. Griffin, Georgia
#6. Mcdonough, Georgia
#5. Marietta, Georgia
#4. Decatur, Georgia
#2. Cartersville, Georgia
#1. Hempstead, New York
Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on Truck Parking Club and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter
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