Motorcycle Chase Leaves Area Man Hospitalized

The Fayette County Sheriff's office is investigating a high speed chase last month, that left a Fairbank man hospitalized with serious injuries.

It happened Friday, June 20th; at about 9pm that night, Fayette county authorities were notified of a high speed chase involving a motorcycle and a Buchanan County sheriff's deputy, northbound on county road W-33, south of Stanley, coming in to Fayette county.

Fayette county officers responded, but could not locate the suspect.

About 2 hours later, the sheriff received a call that the driver of the suspect motorcycle was at Mercy hospital in Oelwein, suffering from serious injuries.

A preliminary investigation determined that 20 year old Derek Macke of Fairbank was trying to elude deputies on his motorcycle, drove into Fayette County, but lost control on Highway 3, near the Stanley turnoff.

Macke sustained serious injuries; he was later transferred to Iowa City, but a condition report was not available. His motorcycle was totaled.

Macke is being charged with failure to maintain control, reckless driving, speeding, no proof of insurance, and failure to have a valid drivers' license for a motorcycle.

The Fayette county sheriff was assisted by the Oelwein Police department, and Iowa State Patrol.

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