Des Moines Police Pursue Driver in Fatal Crash
DES MOINES, IA – A police chase ended in tragedy Wednesday night, resulting in the death of the driver and one passenger.
Authorities said officers initiated a traffic stop for a lighting equipment violation near Stanton Avenue and McKinley Avenue at approximately 10:30 p.m. The driver, 38-year-old Dustin Alan Long, allegedly provided a false name to police. Following a brief foot pursuit, Long returned to his vehicle and fled in the wrong direction on Fleur Drive at a high speed.
According to Des Moines Police Department, officers executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, but Long crashed in the 2500 block of Bell Avenue. Both Long and his passenger, 31-year-old April Doggett, were ejected from the vehicle. Long was pronounced dead at the scene, while Doggett succumbed to her injuries after being transported to a local hospital.
One officer sustained minor injuries during the attempt to apprehend Long. An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.