Driver in Tuesday QCA pursuit identified

UPDATE: The driver involved in the vehicle pursuit on Wednesday has been identified as 41-year-old Robert John Ewoldt, of Davenport, according to a news release from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.

EARLIER: A driver died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a Tuesday traffic pursuit.

A Scott County Sheriff’s Office news release provides details of the incident:

The Scott Emergency Communications Center (SECC) received a call for a disturbance in the area of Lowe’s, 3955 Elmore Ave., Davenport. The caller reported a problem with terminating an employee of USIC (US Infrastructure Company) and retrieving a vehicle that is company property.

The terminated employee refused to return the company-issued vehicle – a white Chevrolet Colorado truck with USIC decals – and threatened that he was armed with a pistol and rifle.

The driver fled the scene, but the company vehicle was equipped and tracked via GPS signal. The truck left Davenport and went north on U. S. Highway 61 into Clinton County.

The vehicle returned to Scott County on Scott Park Road, where a Scott County Deputy located it. The deputy followed the truck until additional backup units arrived.

The vehicles tried to initiate a traffic stop with the truck in the area of the 24000 block of Utica Ridge Rd/210th Avenue. “Units were advised the vehicle was equipped with OnStar and they were attempting to get the vehicle stopped remotely,” the release says.

The suspect did not pull over. A pursuit began while attempts continued to get the vehicle stopped remotely.

“There were some technical difficulties and OnStar was not able to stop the vehicle remotely,” the release says.

A Scott County Sheriff’s Deputy deployed stop sticks at the intersection of 210th Street and 210th Avenue. The deployment was successful, with at least one tire struck. The truck continued south on Utica Ridge Road, then unexpectedly ran off the roadway to the east, entered the ditch and struck a tree just north of the 7700 block of Utica Ridge Road, Davenport.

Because of information about the driver being armed with weapons, a felony stop was initiated.

Additional resources and agencies were requested. They included Davenport Police Department, Bettendorf Police Department, Eldridge Fire Department, and MEDIC Ambulance.

Attempts to communicate were unsuccessful. Units were assisted with the Armored BEARCAT vehicle from Bettendorf Police Department and were able to safely approach the vehicle. They found a single occupant who appeared unresponsive.

Law enforcement approached the vehicle on foot and found the driver unresponsive from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

MEDIC Ambulance personnel pronounced the person deceased at the scene. A weapon was recovered from the vehicle.

The name of the involved driver is being withheld pending family notifications

EARLIER: Scott County Deputies were involved in a pursuit about 3 p.m. Tuesday on Utica Ridge Road, north of Interstate 80.

Our Local 4 News crew saw Davenport Police shut down northbound traffic on Veterans Memorial Parkway/Forest Grove Drive.

We do not know whether there was a crash, or whether anyone was injured. Local 4 News and will provide details when they become available.