A Newton man was arrested and charged with a number of traffic violations, as well as aggravated eluding, after leading police on a brief chase Monday night.
Tony D. Bass, 40, was alleged to have been observed by a Newton police officer driving his blue Dodge Durango pickup truck at the intersection of North Eighth Avenue East and East 19th Street North at approximately 10:19 p.m. His truck’s license plate light was not functioning.
The officer attempted to pull over the vehicle in the 1000 block of East 17th Street North. Bass is alleged to have turned west onto North 11th Avenue East, failing to stop at a stop sign.
During the brief pursuit that ensued, it is alleged Bass accelerated to speeds as high as 60 mph while driving through the residential neighborhood. He also is alleged to have failed to stop at five different stop signs, and to have driven for a time on the wrong side of the road.
The pursuit ended when Bass pulled into his driveway in the 200 block of East 14th Street North. In addition to the eluding charge and the moving violations for failing to stop and driving on the wrong side, he is charged with driving without a valid driver’s license and failure to provide proof of auto insurance.
Bass was taken to the Jasper County Jail, where he remained as of press time. He appeared before Jasper County District Court Judge Steven Holwerda, who set a preliminary hearing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30.
According to online court records, Bass was convicted of driving without a valid driver’s license in April by a Jasper County court.
He also received a suspended jail sentence in late September on a conviction for possession of marijuana (second offense). According to online court records, he was to serve five days of a 180-day sentence, and also was sentenced to two years probation.