MASON CITY – A Mason City man remains in jail after he allegedly stole a suburban, crashed it into a church and ran from police.
On May 21, 2017, at approx. 8:03 pm, officers with the Mason City police department were converging on a black Chevy Suburban near 12th Street and North Carolina Avenue. The Suburban had been reported stolen to Clear Lake Police on May 19th. The driver apparently saw the marked units approaching, circled around the block, and then drove northbound at 12th Street and North Hampshire Avenue. The driver of the suburban failed to stop for the stop sign and drove northbound into traffic, colliding with a passing motorist. The Suburban continued northbound into the yard of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. The officer approached the driver still in the Suburban. The driver then put the Suburban in reverse, backed up but then went north still on the property, losing control and colliding with the church building. The driver fled the scene on foot and was not located. Clear Lake Police and Mason City Police began investigating the theft jointly.
Police continued to investigate the stolen vehicle and developed information to apply for a search warrant of 522 N Delaware Avenue, Apartment #1. Police stopped a vehicle leaving this residence and 31-year-old Daniel Solano was arrested by police from the vehicle. The driver of that vehicle has not been charged at this time. Police tell NIT the case is still under investigation.
So far, Solano has been charged with:
No driver’s license; Failure to Obey Stop Sign; Reckless Driving; Leaving Scene of Property Damage Accident; Interference with Official Acts; Theft 2nd Degree (Class D Felony); Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree (Class D Felony); and Possess and Convey Contraband into the Jail (Class D Felony; Solano allegedly had a small bag of marijuana hidden inside his clothing when taken to jail).
Solano remains in the Cerro Gordo county jail, awaiting a June 1 hearing.
