CEDAR RAPIDS (KCRG) – Two people were killed in a head-on crash on Highway 30 in Cedar Rapids Friday afternoon. It happened after a police pursuit that began in Marshall County. The Iowa State Patrol said 16-year-old Kayan Williams of Cedar Rapids and 36-year-old Garrett Sager of Grand Island, Nebraska, were both killed in the crash, which happened just after 3 p.m. near U.S. Highway 30 and Williams Boulevard. Sager fled law enforcement in Marshall County, leading officers on a pursuit across four counties. The Patrol said Sager fired at law enforcement during the chase, striking an occupied police cruiser. Officials said the vehicle was traveling east in the westbound lanes of Highway 30 in Cedar Rapids when officers made a final attempt to stop it. That’s when Sager collided head-on with the vehicle Williams was driving. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating.
DES MOINES (KXEL) – Last Tuesday’s election saw Democrats winning 11 seats that had been held by Republicans in the Iowa House, but the GOP retained majority control of both the state House and Senate—56 to 44 in the House, 32-18 in the Senate. House Republicans re-elected Rep. Pat Grassley as their Speaker in a meeting on Friday. After a Democrat was elected governor of Wisconsin, that state’s Republican-led legislature immediately took steps to limit the governor’s authority once the Democrat took office. Grassley told Iowa reporters Friday afternoon that despite Democrat Rob Sand winning the Iowa governor’s race, the idea of a special legislative session to do something similar in this state is not on the table.
LINN COUNTY (KCRG) – A 15-year-old is facing juvenile court after a chase involving Linn County sheriff’s deputies Saturday evening. Just before 9 p.m., a deputy tried to pull over a silver Ford Focus traveling 97 mph on Highway 100. The driver exited the highway and led officers south onto Covington Road, then east on Rogers Road and into the Gardner Drive Northwest area. The driver stopped after hitting a curb and disabling the car. Officers took the 15-year-old into custody. He was charged with attempting to elude, speeding and stop sign violations and released to his parents. The charges will go to juvenile court.
DES MOINES (KCRG) – Peace and adventure are central to RAGBRAI’s 2027 theme, as illustrated in the 54th ride’s newly revealed logo. The 2027 theme is “Spirit of ‘73″ and pays tribute to RAGBRAI founders, Des Moines Register writers John Karras and Donald Kaul. In a statement, organizers say the logo’s peace-sign throwing rider is not only a throwback to the “wannabe hippie” vibe of the ride’s founders, but is also a nod to the riders who have gestured the peace sign over the years. The route for the 2027 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa will be revealed on January 23, with the ride to be held the last week of July.
