Wrong-way driver faces felony in January I-380 crashes

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man is facing numerous charges following a January wrong-way crash on Interstate 380, in an incident that came to the attention of police before the crash due to his erratic behavior at a school.

The crash left three people injured.

An arrest warrant was issued March 30 for Andrew Robert Cairy, 33. He was formally charged this month with serious injury by vehicle, a felony; leaving the scene of a serious injury accident, an aggravated misdemeanor; leaving the scene of a bodily injury accident, a serious misdemeanor; and public exposure, a simple misdemeanor.

Cairy was also issued several citations for leaving the scene of an accident-property damage, failure to provide proof of insurance and violating one-way traffic designation.

His bail was originally set for $15,000 cash or surety but then lowered during his initial appearance to $10,000. Cairy paid a surety bond last week but is under the supervision of the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services pending trial.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks told The Gazette on Thursday the reason for the delay in charges was because the investigation needed to be completed. Police didn’t receive the toxicology tests until the middle of March and the case wasn’t referred to his office until March 26.

The results of those tests didn’t support a drunken-driving charge, Maybanks added.

When Maybanks received the case, he also requested some medical records before making his decision on the charges against Cairy.

According to a search warrant affidavit, police first received a 911 call about 9:30 a.m. Jan. 6 from a parent who had dropped off his children at Grant Elementary School. The father said a man, later identified as Cairy, had entered the bathroom and started removing his clothes. The father said the man appeared to be “not right.” Cairy then left the school before police arrived.

A short time later, police received a report that a black SUV was traveling northbound the wrong way on I-380 southbound, near Quaker Oats, that resulted in a semi-trailer truck rolling over and subsequent multiple vehicle crashes at I-380 and 42nd Street NE, according to a complaint.

Cairy was driving the SUV and he left the scene on foot without rendering assistance or providing legally required information, the complaint stated.

Court documents stated Cairy took off all his clothes after the crash on the interstate and ran from the area. He was found a short time later near Clark’s Pharmacy on 42nd Street NE.

Cairy had minor injuries from the crash but his preliminary breath test showed he had no alcohol in his system, the affidavit stated. Because of Cairy’s erratic behavior, police collected blood and urine samples for toxicology testing.

According to the complaint, three people were injured as a result of the crash. Raymond Hedges and Ashley Behrens, who were in one of the crashed vehicles, were taken to a hospital with injuries, the complaint stated.

Hedges had a fracture in his lower leg that immobilized him and led him losing the use of his leg for at least eight weeks, and Behrens had a ruptured spleen from the crash.

Another crash victim, Becky Kallous, in a separate vehicle that was damaged, had minor injuries from broken glass, according to the complaint.

If convicted, Cairy faces up to eight years in prison.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com