(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled those involved in police chases can be required to pay for damage to patrol cars. The City of Davenport sought seven-thousand dollars for damage to patrol cars that resulted from a high-speed chase of Daryl Shears in 2016. Shears had pled guilty to criminal mischief and eluding officers — but argued the damage to the patrol vehicles was not a direct result of his crimes and he should not have to pay restitution. The Iowa Supreme Court acknowledge that providing damages to victims has until fairly recently been a civil — not criminal action. And says there are questions as to whether a government entity can be considered a victim.

But the ruling says a reasonable fact finder could conclude that police would make an effort to apprehend the speeding Shears and that police vehicles could be damaged. It says most of the state and federal case law dealing with police vehicle crashes supports their conclusion