Vehicle stolen from Newton gas station crashes on I-80

A Newton man is accused of stealing a car from Hy-Vee Gas Sunday night and was later arrested in Polk County when he crashed the vehicle on Interstate 80 East.

Benjamin Gordon, 40, has been charged with second-degree theft and third-degree burglary to a motor vehicle, both class D felonies. The incident happened at 6:39 p.m. when Newton police were flagged down by a person who reported their vehicle had just been stolen from the Newton convenience store.

The vehicle was then seen headed south on East 17th Street South. The Iowa State Patrol was called at 8:34 p.m. to a single-vehicle accident at mile marker 141 on Interstate 80 East.

The vehicle was identified as stolen from Newton. Gordon was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol and transported to the Jasper County Jail.