Suspended Jail Term and Probation Granted in High Speed Child Endangerment Case
A West Des Moines man accused of driving over 100mph on Highway 163 in Jasper County with his 10 year old daughter in the passenger seat has been given 2 years of probation and 180 days of suspended jail time. 43 year old Erik Lee Sams also has to pay a 625-dollar fine. In a negotiated plea, Sams pleaded guilty to Child Endangerment while an Eluding charge was dismissed. He was arrested east of Monroe around 3:30 in the afternoon April 20th. Monroe Police had received a reckless driver complaint concerning an eastbound car that left Prairie City and was going over 100mph. According to the police report, the arresting officer clocked Sams’ car at 116mph. The West Des Moines man failed to pull over. Authorities say he continued east into Marion County, where officers boxed in his vehicle and brought it to a stop. Sams was reportedly headed to Oskaloosa and had a handgun and open beer in the car along with his daughter.