Records: Marion man was at police station before seriously injuring pregnant woman in crash

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Marion man who witnesses say was driving at a high rate of speed Feb. 26 before intentionally crashing into a vehicle — injuring that driver and prematurely ending her pregnancy — had just been at the Cedar Rapids Police Department talking with an investigator before the crash, records show.

Trenton Eiben, 42, had just left the police department and called his wife to say he loved her before getting into his Pontiac Sunfire and driving up to 100 mph, going eastbound down the center turn lane on First Avenue E, according to court documents. Witnesses told police he crashed into a Chevrolet Traverse, driven by Merylin Louise Bowden, 39, of Cedar Rapids, who was traveling west in the 1300 block of First Avenue E.

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Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said Monday he couldn’t comment as to why Eiben had been at the police department before the crash. The search warrant affidavit also stated Eiben was at the department talking to an investigator, but didn’t explain the reason.

According to the criminal complaint, Eiben’s Sunfire hit the Traverse in the front driver’s side and quarter panel area. Witnesses described to police Eiben’s driving as “intentional and making no attempt to avoid collision.” They said Eiben had an open lane to the front and right of him, but instead drove into the westbound lanes, striking the Traverse.

Both Eiben and Bowden, who was 18 weeks pregnant, were injured and had to be extricated from their vehicles and taken to hospitals, according to the criminal complaint.

Bowden’s pregnancy was prematurely terminated as a result of her injuries, which also included a broken pelvic bone, broken ribs, vertebra fractures and other fractures related to the spine, according to the complaint.

Video surveillance, scene and accident reconstruction and witnesses confirmed Eiben was speeding in the middle lane and had just ran through a red light at 10th Street and First Avenue E moments before he crossed into the westbound lane and crashed into Bowden’s vehicle, the complaint stated.

Eiben was traveling between 84 and 89 mph in the last five seconds before impact without braking, according to the complaint. Bowden’s vehicle was going between 4 and 12 mph within 8 seconds before impact.

Eiben was charged last month with nonconsensual termination of pregnancy during a forcible felony, willful injury resulting in serious injury and serious injury by motor vehicle-reckless driving.

If convicted, Eiben faces up to 40 years in prison. He was being held in the Linn County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bail.

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