A man from Wisconsin has been charged with multiple counts of theft, stalking | News, Sports, Work

A man stole a truck and fled from officers before crashing into another vehicle on South Avenue Wednesday afternoon, the Fort Dodge Police Department said.

After the crash, the man jumped out and ran a short distance before being apprehended by Fort Dodge police.

The man, identified by police and court records as Billy J. Conner, 47, of Linden, Wis., now faces multiple criminal charges.

Police reports and court records show Conner is charged with first-degree theft, eluding, reckless driving and driving with a suspended license.

The events that led to Conner’s arrest began at 3:01 p.m. Wednesday when Fort Dodge police received a report of a stolen vehicle at 3121 Fifth Ave. S. There, a man told police he left his 2005 Ram 3500 truck running. went to the store. When he got out, the truck was gone.

According to police reports, while the officer was speaking with the owner of the truck, they both observed it traveling westbound on Fifth Avenue South. The policeman got into his patrol outfit and tried to overtake the truck. As the police reported, when the patrol car approached the truck, it began to develop a high speed.

The truck headed north on 20th Street. He failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of 20th Street and First Avenue, police said. As the truck traveled through that intersection, it struck a GMC pickup truck that was traveling eastbound on First Avenue South. The crash caused extensive damage to the front end of the GMC, and the Ram came to rest on First Avenue South, facing west. No one was injured in the collision. The crash closed South Avenue between 19th Street and the Albert Hahab Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Conner made his first appearance in Webster County Magistrate Court Thursday morning.

A preliminary hearing in the case of first-degree theft and evading charges has been set for November 8.

Magistrate Steven Kersten issued a restraining order for Conner to have no contact with the owner of the truck he is accused of stealing.

Kersten also set Connor’s bail at $20,000 cash only.

He was adjourned for 180 days on charges of careless driving and driving with a suspended license.