Two Mason City residents are dead after the car they were in crashed following a short chase by law enforcement.
The Iowa State Patrol says a pursuit started after a traffic stop shortly before 12:45 Thursday afternoon. The driver of the vehicle lost control, with the vehicle rolling and striking a tree in front of a house near downtown Mason City.
The Patrol says Jerrick Rinnels was driving the vehicle while Jessica Herker was a passenger, with both being pronounced dead at the scene.
Firefighters needed nearly an hour before they could remove the victims from the vehicle. The Iowa State Patrol is handling the investigation with the assistance of the Mason City Police Department and Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.
(By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City)