Crime & Safety

Dash Cam Captures Iowa Governor's SUV Going 'Hard 90' But Police Stand Down

Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Larry Hedlund, who initiated the pursuit of a speeding vehicle carrying Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, was been placed on leave.

A speeding SUV carrying Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad was going a "hard 90," which put the public at risk but Iowa State Troopers opted not to stop the vehicle because Branstad was inside, according to recordings of the incident. 

KCCI has video and recordings of the incident.

Meanwhile, Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Larry Hedlund, who initiated the pursuit, was been placed on leave, and now the Iowa Department of Public Safety is reviewing the handling of the case. 

The incident occurred on April 26 when Branstad was traveling on Highway 20 near Fort Dodge.

The Des Moines Register reports Hedlund filed a complaint in which he said he should have done more and complained about the common practice of Branstad-directed speeding in state vehicles. Hedlund didn't question the two troopers that observed the speeding vehicle but didn't pull it over, the Register reports.

Here's from an email of Hedlund's obtained by the Register:

“The state trooper that assisted me in the initial attempt chose not to stop the suspect vehicle due to one reason, it was occupied by the governor of the state of Iowa,” Hedlund said in the email. “I completely understand his decision to utilize his discretion. The governor is the most powerful person in the state and has almost absolute power over many important issues directly impacting the Department of Public Safety.”

But the email notes that Branstad’s vehicle, Hedlund and the pursuing trooper all passed a school bus on April 26, and “the consequences of three vehicles traveling at high speeds could have been tragic.”

“This incident brings forth a lot of issues that will simply have to be addressed,” the email continued. “This Department can’t afford to ignore what apparently is a common practice that puts the general public in danger. Regardless of what dignitaries might be in the back seat of the speeding vehicle, it is still against the law.”


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