Police Arrest Driver After 125 mph Chase
A 41-mile pursuit on Interstate 380 ended near Brandon, Iowa, with the driver booked into the Linn County Jail.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Cedar Rapids police arrested Rylan Sawyer, of Hazleton, after a high-speed pursuit on Sunday that reached 125 mph in a 55 mph zone near H Avenue Northeast. Sawyer faces a felony eluding charge along with multiple excessive speed and driving charges.
Why it matters
The pursuit shows the danger high-speed chases pose to drivers and the public on Cedar Rapids-area highways. The felony eluding charge reflects the legal consequences for fleeing officers at extreme speeds.
Rylan Sawyer was booked into the Linn County Jail and faces a felony charge of eluding while speeding more than 25 mph over the limit, along with multiple excessive speed charges, careless driving, and driving with an open container. The case has not been resolved and the source does not report any court dates.
The players
Rylan Sawyer
Rylan Sawyer is the Hazleton man arrested after the pursuit, who now faces felony and misdemeanor charges.
Cedar Rapids Police Department
The Cedar Rapids Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency that conducted the pursuit and arrest.
The details
Police attempted to stop Sawyer's vehicle for speeding, but it entered northbound Interstate 380 and reached 125 mph before the pursuit covered about 41 miles. Stop sticks brought the vehicle to a stop near Brandon, Iowa.
Timeline
Sunday: Cedar Rapids police began the high-speed pursuit of Sawyer's vehicle.
Legal Context
Iowa treats eluding a police officer at speeds more than 25 mph over the limit as a felony, which is the charge Sawyer faces after reaching 125 mph in a 55 mph zone. Charges of this type are applied when pursuits pose serious risk to public safety on highways like Interstate 380.
Drivers on Interstate 380 near Cedar Rapids should expect increased police attention to speeding, since pursuits can involve speeds over 100 mph. Residents near the pursuit route should be aware of the danger high-speed chases create for other motorists.
The takeaway
Speeding in Cedar Rapids can escalate to a felony charge when it is combined with fleeing police, so drivers who see emergency lights should pull over safely. Staying within posted limits on highways like Interstate 380 is the simplest way to avoid a pursuit.
Further reading
Read more in our Law Enforcement coverage for Cedar Rapids.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kcrg.
