Off-duty Iowa State Trooper cited for driving 92 in 70 zone

An off-duty Iowa State Patrol captain who was stopped, but not ticketed, for driving 92 miles per hour on Interstate 80 in November, was cited Friday at the end of a state investigation.

Capt. Ken Clary was fined $110 for driving 92 mph in a 70-mph zone near Colfax on Nov. 24.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety completed an internal investigation Friday that resulted in 'administrative action,' but officials would not say whether Clary was disciplined. Sgt. Scott Bright said the investigation did not focus on Trooper Bryan Guill, who stopped Clary.

Gov. Terry Branstad, whose State Patrol drivers were stopped for speeding twice in 2013, demurred earlier this week when asked whether the troopers involved in the Nov. 24 incident should be punished. But he has said troopers should be held to the same standards as other drivers.

Clary was driving a Special Olympics SUV on his way to Cedar Rapids when he was stopped Nov. 24, said Gary Harms, interim CEO for the non-profit.

'He was taking a day off to do a fundraising call for Special Olympics,' Harms said. 'He's extremely dedicated to the Special Olympics mission.'

A fundraising official for the group was riding with Clary, but there were no children or Special Olympics athletes in the car, Harms said.

Although Guill did not ticket Clary, Clary reported the stop immediately to his supervisor, which triggered the investigation, Bright said.

Troopers driving Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds were caught speeding twice in 2013. In the most high-profile incident, Trooper Steve Lawrence was clocked driving 84 mph on Highway 20, which has a speed limit of 65.

A Division of Criminal Investigation agent spotted the speeding SUV April 26, 2013, and reported it to dispatch. Trooper Matt Eimers pursued the SUV for several miles, passing numerous vehicles, before determining the SUV was driving Branstad and Reynolds. He stopped the pursuit.

DCI agent Larry Hedlund, who reported the speeding SUV, was put on paid leave within days of complaining the driver wasn't ticketed. Hedlund, a 25-year veteran, was fired July 17, 2014, and has since sued for wrongful termination.

An internal review ended with a $181 speeding ticket for Lawrence. Eimers was not disciplined.