HAMPTON – A swaledale man who led law enforcement on a dangerous chase throughout North Iowa was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday.
Mason City police said the trouble with 34-year-old Todd Leverne Hambly began on January 4, 2014 at about 10:06 AM at a residence located at 542 15th Street SE, owned by 56-year-old Robert Lee Kantaris. An officer tried to stop Hambly, who was wanted on warrants, as he drove away from the house in a Ford F350 pickup truck.
Police said that Hambly “sped off in a reckless manner” from responding MCPD officers and that “due to time of day, Hambly’s reckless manner, and the slippery road conditions, MCPD officers discontinued the pursuit and radioed in the vehicle’s direction of travel to surrounding law enforcement agencies who soon encountered the Hambly vehicle south of Mason City.”
Minutes later, the Iowa State Patrol was in pursuit of Hambly at about 10:20 AM as a Cerro Gordo County sheriff’s deputy joined the chase, near Lark Avenue several miles east of Thornton.
According to Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals, his deputy’s patrol car received serious damage and four Iowa State Patrol cars were “wrecked” as officers tried to stop Hambly. His vehicle eventually ended up off the roadway in a snowbank. No injuries were reported in the pursuit.
Hambly was charged with eluding, assault on a peace officer and possession of methamphetamine and was being held in the Hardin County Jail in Eldora until he was transported to Cerro Gordo county earlier in February to face charges here.
Mason City police also applied for an arrest warrant for Robert Lee Kantaris charging him as an accessory to a felony. Officers had notified Kantaris prior to the January 4th pursuit that Hambly was wanted and that Kantaris would be charged if he was found to be aiding Hambly in hiding from law enforcement. Officers allege that Kantaris allowed Hambly to stay with him at 542 15th ST SE after being notified that Hambly was wanted before the pursuit began. Kantaris is facing a trial in June for his alleged involvement.
On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, Hambly was sentenced in Franklin County District Court to serve two concurrent five year prison terms after pleading guilty to two counts of felony eluding brought against him as a result of the chase with law enforcement.
Hambly will also be sentenced Wednesday, May 14 after pleading guilty in Cerro Gordo County District Court to charges of felony theft and felony burglary brought by Clear Lake police.
SENTENCED TO PRISON
[poll random]
