Hunter
02/15/24
Cedar Rapids initiated a chase with a man who was wanted for harboring a runaway that ended when he crashed into a ditch off Interstate 80 in Coralville.
The Gazette reports 19-year-old Dakota Holt was harboring a 17-year-old girl who was reported by her father as a runaway in October. She was found in Holt’s Cedar Rapids residence the following month. After submitting a not guilty plea, he didn’t show up for his case management conference and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Cedar Rapids Police learned Tuesday that the runaway was still with Holt, and he was spotted with a female passenger. When they tried to pull Holt over, he led police on a chase from Cedar Rapids through North Liberty and into Coralville where he lost control of his car and crashed into a ditch along I-80.
Police say he resisted arrest by head-butting one of the officers twice in the face before being taken into custody.
The Gazette reports the female passenger in Holt’s car was a different 17-year old who had been reported as a runaway by her mother.
Holt is charged with two counts of harboring a runaway minor against wishes of parent, assault on persons in certain occupations, interference with official acts, failure to obey a traffic control device, reckless driving, failure to provide security against liability, speeding more than 20 mph in a 55 mph or less zone, failure to maintain control, eluding and a one-way streets violation.
Court records also indicate that he faces three counts of first degree harassment from January of this year.
If convicted on all counts currently against him, Holt could be sentenced to over 16 years in prison.
