VINTON -- A La Porte City man is in jail on his third drunken driving charge after managing to wrangle with three law enforcement agencies in Benton County.

Steven Nelson, 29, first allegedly refused to stop his vehicle for authorities about 6 p.m. Thursday near Shellsburg, according to a press release from the Benton County Sheriff's Office. During the chase and ensuing arrest, Nelson backed into a Benton County Sheriff's deputy's car, fought with an Iowa State trooper and tried to kick out the rear window of a Vinton squad car.

A Benton County sheriff's deputy first tried to stop Nelson for a sparking muffler. Instead of stopping, Nelson drove down the shoulder of the road before turning into a field driveway in a 1988 Jeep Cherokee. The pursuit continued across the field. When Nelson reached a fence, he drove through it. In an attempt to get up the steep ditch, Nelson backed into the Benton County squad car before going through the ditch, crossing a road and striking an embankment, authorities said. Deputies eventually took Nelson into custody.

Then the Iowa State Patrol took Nelson to the Virginia Gay Hospital in Vinton to be checked for possible injuries. Nelson fought the state trooper at the hospital. Vinton police came to assist and took Nelson to jail. During the trip, Nelson allegedly tried to kick out the rear window of the patrol car.

Nelson faces 13 charges, including third-offense operating while intoxicated, eluding assault on a peace officer, driving while barred, driving while revoked, driving while suspended, interference with official acts, failure to prove financial security, defective muffler, improper registration, careless driving, speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road.

A passenger in the car, Timothy Allen Channell, 20, Shellsburg, was arrested for public intoxication. He later was released.

Nelson was in the Benton County Jail this morning on a $39,980 bond.