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Friends Search Mississippi River for Iowa Man
BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) -- Friends have been searching for a 32-year-old Davenport man who went into the Mississippi River while being chased by police.

Bettendorf police say Matthew Haessler was driving a stolen car on May 8 when officers tried to pull him over.

They say he refused to stop and led police on a high-speed chase into Illinois.

Authorities say he was heading back into Iowa across a bridge in Moline when they used stop sticks to get the car to stop.

The sticks deflated the car's tires, and police say Haessler got out and fled on foot. He climbed onto the railing of the bridge and either fell or jumped into the water.

Bettendorf police Chief Phil Redington has defended officers' handling of the situation. Police have suspended their search of the river.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
05 15 10 by Newsroom
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