Bruno
05-19-2010, 08:21 AM
http://www.kcci.com/news/23591686/detail.html#
DES MOINES, Iowa -- A Des Moines man thought a crazy person was tailgating him in a pursuit Sunday afternoon. It turned out to be Gov. Chet Culver's car, with the governor inside.
A camera in a West Des Moines police car shows Culver and his son John climbing out of their official GMC Yukon. The governor's driver was dressed in a light casual shirt. He's a plainclothes state trooper working for the executive protection unit.
The pursuit ended near Grand and Interstate 35. It started just a few minutes earlier.
On Tuesday, state public safety officials identified the driver who complained as Ed Allen, of West Des Moines. State trooper Michael Clyde said Allen was driving erratically, while Allen claims the SUV tried to cut him off.
"I wasn't sure what do. My wife got scared, my kids were in the back seat crying, saying this crazy guy might have a gun," said Allen.
He and his family were driving along 22nd Street in West Des Moines Sunday afternoon. He said a black unmarked SUV tried to cut into his lane and nearly hit his car. The driver's wife flipped off the governor's driver and that's when the governor's SUV flipped on red and blue lights and began to follow the car south on 22nd, west on I-235 and eventually south on I-35, where the trooper allegedly tried to pull in front of the car and stop in the middle of the interstate.
"Because he was blocking the lane, I think we were still thinking this is the crazy guy and I drove around him. He rode the bumper as much as he could," said Allen.
Eventually, Allen came to a stop when he saw marked West Des Moines police cars pull up near Grand Ave. and I-35.
"I looked in my mirror and saw the governor and his son get out and talk to the troopers. I had no idea who it was," said Allen.
Police let the driver go. Public Safety spokesperson Courtney Maxwell Greene is defending the trooper's actions, saying the driver actually cut off the governor's car when the incident began.
"When they see something happen, they make their best judgment. The world is not black and white and they decided to make the traffic stop," said Greene.
The driver, who wasn't charged in this traffic stop, wants a personal apology from the Governor.
"I was surprised to see him and even more surprised he would be driving in such a manner, and considering who he is carrying and putting my family at risk, it's unprofessional," said Allen.
"The governor wasn't driving. He was a passenger driven by the state trooper. So I don't think the governor owes anyone an apology," said Greene.
The driver in the traffic stop filed a formal complaint with the Iowa State Patrol, so the incident is now under investigation.
A spokesman with the governor's office said the situation is being handled by the Department of Public Safety.
The driver said he didn't know this unmarked SUV was law enforcement. Troopers said you don't have to stop for an unmarked car. Their advice is to slow down, turn on your flashers to let the person behind you know he's there. They said head to a well-lit or well-populated area and call 911 to confirm the identity of the unmarked car.
DES MOINES, Iowa -- A Des Moines man thought a crazy person was tailgating him in a pursuit Sunday afternoon. It turned out to be Gov. Chet Culver's car, with the governor inside.
A camera in a West Des Moines police car shows Culver and his son John climbing out of their official GMC Yukon. The governor's driver was dressed in a light casual shirt. He's a plainclothes state trooper working for the executive protection unit.
The pursuit ended near Grand and Interstate 35. It started just a few minutes earlier.
On Tuesday, state public safety officials identified the driver who complained as Ed Allen, of West Des Moines. State trooper Michael Clyde said Allen was driving erratically, while Allen claims the SUV tried to cut him off.
"I wasn't sure what do. My wife got scared, my kids were in the back seat crying, saying this crazy guy might have a gun," said Allen.
He and his family were driving along 22nd Street in West Des Moines Sunday afternoon. He said a black unmarked SUV tried to cut into his lane and nearly hit his car. The driver's wife flipped off the governor's driver and that's when the governor's SUV flipped on red and blue lights and began to follow the car south on 22nd, west on I-235 and eventually south on I-35, where the trooper allegedly tried to pull in front of the car and stop in the middle of the interstate.
"Because he was blocking the lane, I think we were still thinking this is the crazy guy and I drove around him. He rode the bumper as much as he could," said Allen.
Eventually, Allen came to a stop when he saw marked West Des Moines police cars pull up near Grand Ave. and I-35.
"I looked in my mirror and saw the governor and his son get out and talk to the troopers. I had no idea who it was," said Allen.
Police let the driver go. Public Safety spokesperson Courtney Maxwell Greene is defending the trooper's actions, saying the driver actually cut off the governor's car when the incident began.
"When they see something happen, they make their best judgment. The world is not black and white and they decided to make the traffic stop," said Greene.
The driver, who wasn't charged in this traffic stop, wants a personal apology from the Governor.
"I was surprised to see him and even more surprised he would be driving in such a manner, and considering who he is carrying and putting my family at risk, it's unprofessional," said Allen.
"The governor wasn't driving. He was a passenger driven by the state trooper. So I don't think the governor owes anyone an apology," said Greene.
The driver in the traffic stop filed a formal complaint with the Iowa State Patrol, so the incident is now under investigation.
A spokesman with the governor's office said the situation is being handled by the Department of Public Safety.
The driver said he didn't know this unmarked SUV was law enforcement. Troopers said you don't have to stop for an unmarked car. Their advice is to slow down, turn on your flashers to let the person behind you know he's there. They said head to a well-lit or well-populated area and call 911 to confirm the identity of the unmarked car.