Cedar Rapids, IA, USA  
Digital Edition Digital Edition
Log in Log In My Account My Account
Subscribe Today
The Gazette The Gazette
The Gazette The Gazette
  • COVID-19
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Food and Drink
  • Business
Digital Edition Digital Edition
Log in Log In My Account My Account
Subscribe
CLOSE
The Gazette
Subscribe
My Account
  • News
    • All News
    • Election 2020
    • Coronavirus
    • Business News
    • Community
    • Crime and Courts
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Nation and World
    • Time Machine
    • Search Archive

    Our Journalists

    • Rod Boshart
    • Lee Hermiston
    • Erin Jordan
    • James Q. Lynch
    • Trish Mehaffey
    • Vanessa Miller
    • Kat Russell
    • Grace King
    • John Steppe
    • Gage Miskimen
    • Marissa Payne
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Iowa Hawkeyes
    • Hawkeye Football
    • Hawkeye Basketball
    • Prep Sports
    • Prep Volleyball
    • Prep Football
    • Prep Basketball
    • Prep Wrestling
    • Iowa State Cyclones
    • UNI Panthers
    • Small College Sports
    • Minor League Sports
    • Outdoors

    Sports Desk

    • Mike Hlas
    • Jeff Johnson
    • Jeff Linder
    • J.R. Ogden
    • K.J. Pilcher
    • Leah Vann
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial Mission
    • Guest Columnists
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Political Cartoons
    • Staff Columnists
    • Staff Editorials
    • Submit a Letter or Column

    Our Columnists

    • Todd Dorman
    • Adam Sullivan
  • Food and Drink
    • All Food and Drink
    • Chew on This
    • Recipes
    • Restaurants
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Business Notes
    • Companies
    • Personal Finance
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy
    • Manufacturing
    • Openings & Closures
    • Real Estate
    • Retail
    • Small Business
    • Transportation

    Our Journalists

    • Rod Boshart
    • Erin Jordan
    • John Steppe
  • Obituaries
    • All Obituaries
    • In Memory Of
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • Daily News Podcast
    • Fact Checker
    • Hlastradamus Odds
    • Iowa Prep Sports
    • On Iowa
    • On Iowa Politics
    • On UNI
    • Pinning Combination
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Art
    • Books
    • Museums & Galleries
    • Music
    • Theater
    • Things To Do
  • Living
    • All Living
    • Health & Wellness
    • Home & Garden
    • Milestones
    • People & Places
    • Pets & Animals
    • Recreation
    • Religion & Belief
    • Travel

    Our Writers

    • Diana Nollen
  • Kids Gazette
    • See All
    • Kids Cooking Series
    • Kids Galleries
    • Printables
    • Activities
    • Articles
    • Submissions
    • Resources
  • Photos
    • All Photos and Videos
    • The Iowa Photo
    • Photo Store

    Our Photojournalists

    • Andy Abeyta
    • Liz Martin
    • Rebecca Miller
    • Jim Slosiarek
    • Gazette Visuals
  • Milestones
    • All Milestones
    • Anniversaries
    • Days To Remember
    • Engagements
    • Holidays
    • In Remembrance
    • New Arrivals
    • Thank Yous
    • Submit a Milestone
  • Data
    • Arrests
    • Building Permits
    • Interactive Maps & Charts
    • Salaries
  • Gazette Sites
    • Classifieds
    • Corridor Careers
    • Garage Sales
    • Gazette Gives Back
    • Gazette Rewards
    • Gazette Store
    • Green Gazette
    • HER
    • Iowa Wedding Experience
    • Holiday Light Finder
    • Hoopla
    • Iowa Ideas
    • Photo Store
  • Special Events
  • Special Sections
  • Other
    • About The Gazette
    • Archives
    • Article Removal
    • Business Directory
    • CR Arrest Database
    • Mobile Apps
    • Customer Care
    • Order Back Issues
    • Privacy Policies
    • Puzzle Answers
    • Sponsorship Requests
    • Submit a Letter
    • Weather
  • Digital Edition
Daily News PodcastDaily News Podcast
Daily NewslettersDaily Newsletters
Log out

FOLLOW US

The Gazette
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Food and Drink
  • Business
  • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
  • Entertainment
  • Living
  • Kids Gazette
  • Photos
  • Milestones
  • Data
  • Gazette Sites
  • Special Events
  • Special Sections
  • Other
  • Digital Edition
  • All News
  • Election 2020
  • Coronavirus
  • Business News
  • Community
  • Crime and Courts
  • Education
  • Government
  • Health
  • Nation and World
  • Time Machine
  • Search Archive

Our Journalists

  • Rod Boshart
  • Lee Hermiston
  • Erin Jordan
  • James Q. Lynch
  • Trish Mehaffey
  • Vanessa Miller
  • Kat Russell
  • Grace King
  • John Steppe
  • Gage Miskimen
  • Marissa Payne
  • All Sports
  • Iowa Hawkeyes
  • Hawkeye Football
  • Hawkeye Basketball
  • Prep Sports
  • Prep Volleyball
  • Prep Football
  • Prep Basketball
  • Prep Wrestling
  • Iowa State Cyclones
  • UNI Panthers
  • Small College Sports
  • Minor League Sports
  • Outdoors

Sports Desk

  • Mike Hlas
  • Jeff Johnson
  • Jeff Linder
  • J.R. Ogden
  • K.J. Pilcher
  • Leah Vann
  • All Opinion
  • Editorial Mission
  • Guest Columnists
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Political Cartoons
  • Staff Columnists
  • Staff Editorials
  • Submit a Letter or Column

Our Columnists

  • Todd Dorman
  • Adam Sullivan
  • All Food and Drink
  • Chew on This
  • Recipes
  • Restaurants
  • All Business
  • Agriculture
  • Business Notes
  • Companies
  • Personal Finance
  • Economy
  • Employment
  • Energy
  • Manufacturing
  • Openings & Closures
  • Real Estate
  • Retail
  • Small Business
  • Transportation

Our Journalists

  • Rod Boshart
  • Erin Jordan
  • John Steppe
  • All Obituaries
  • In Memory Of
  • Submit an Obituary
  • All Podcasts
  • Daily News Podcast
  • Fact Checker
  • Hlastradamus Odds
  • Iowa Prep Sports
  • On Iowa
  • On Iowa Politics
  • On UNI
  • Pinning Combination
  • All Entertainment
  • Art
  • Books
  • Museums & Galleries
  • Music
  • Theater
  • Things To Do
  • All Living
  • Health & Wellness
  • Home & Garden
  • Milestones
  • People & Places
  • Pets & Animals
  • Recreation
  • Religion & Belief
  • Travel

Our Writers

  • Diana Nollen
  • See All
  • Kids Cooking Series
  • Kids Galleries
  • Printables
  • Activities
  • Articles
  • Submissions
  • Resources
  • All Photos and Videos
  • The Iowa Photo
  • Photo Store

Our Photojournalists

  • Andy Abeyta
  • Liz Martin
  • Rebecca Miller
  • Jim Slosiarek
  • Gazette Visuals
  • All Milestones
  • Anniversaries
  • Days To Remember
  • Engagements
  • Holidays
  • In Remembrance
  • New Arrivals
  • Thank Yous
  • Submit a Milestone
  • Arrests
  • Building Permits
  • Interactive Maps & Charts
  • Salaries
  • Classifieds
  • Corridor Careers
  • Garage Sales
  • Gazette Gives Back
  • Gazette Rewards
  • Gazette Store
  • Green Gazette
  • HER
  • Iowa Wedding Experience
  • Holiday Light Finder
  • Hoopla
  • Iowa Ideas
  • Photo Store
  • About The Gazette
  • Archives
  • Article Removal
  • Business Directory
  • CR Arrest Database
  • Mobile Apps
  • Customer Care
  • Order Back Issues
  • Privacy Policies
  • Puzzle Answers
  • Sponsorship Requests
  • Submit a Letter
  • Weather
Daily News PodcastDaily News Podcast Daily NewslettersDaily Newsletters
LOG OUT

FOLLOW US

More Stories

Study envisions white-water course, amenities in Cedar River

UI names U. Illinois VP Barbara Wilson second presidential finalist

Iowa City schools relaxing coronavirus quarantine practices after almost 1,000…

Ernst bill bans meat bans

Watch: Gov. Kim Reynolds holds news conference at 11 a.m.…

University of Iowa medical expert takes questions on J &…

200,000-square-foot-facility to break ground near Cedar Rapids airport

University of Iowa pharmacy students practice giving shots

Home / News / Crime and Courts

Wrong-way driver in fatal Cedar Rapids crash also a murder defendant

Kat RussellBy: Kat Russell Mar. 8, 2021 11:55 am Updated: Mar. 9, 2021 10:04 am
Wrong-way driver in fatal Cedar Rapids crash also a murder defendantWrong-way driver in fatal Cedar Rapids crash also a murder defendant

CEDAR RAPIDS - An Illinois murder defendant out on bail was driving the wrong way in downtown's infamous S-curve early Sunday when he smashed into an oncoming sport utility vehicle, trapping three people inside and killing a fourth, according to court records and police.

The wrong-way driver, identified by authorities as Tyler S. Lee, 34, of Rockton, Ill., received minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment. He has not been charged in the crash, which remains under investigation.

The crash killed a front-seat passenger of the SUV, identified Monday as David Phuong Nguyen, 23, of Cedar Rapids. Rescuers had to extricate three others from the crumpled SUV, one with serious injuries.

Investigators said the crash occurred at 2:05 a.m. Sunday on northbound Interstate 380 just north of the Seventh Street NE exit ramp.

Lee was the sole occupant of a Ford F-150 pickup truck that was driving southbound in the northbound lanes, Cedar Rapids police said.

The pickup struck a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Rylee Brooke Wallingford, 20, of Cedar Rapids. She was seriously injured and remained Monday at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, police said.

Rylee's sister, Addysen Wallingford, said Monday that Rylee and Nguyen had been dating for about five months.

He enjoyed fixing cars and renovating houses, Addysen said. He had recently purchased a house and was finishing work on his old house, getting it ready to sell.

'He had really become a piece of our family,” Addysen said. 'He was quiet but very kind and a caring good guy. He cared deeply about his friends and family.”

Police identified the back-seat passengers as Benjamin Phillip Brecht, 23, and Skyler McDowell, 22, both of Cedar Rapids. Police said one of the back-seat passengers, who appeared to be OK at the scene, was later taken to a hospital by a private vehicle.

Addysen Wallingford said her sister had undergone one surgery at UIHC and was facing another, and then a long road to recovery.

Police said it is unclear how long Lee had been driving the wrong way before the crash. The nearest ramp north of the Seventh Street NE exit is H Avenue NE.

The police department declined to give more details, including whether investigators suspect alcohol or drugs were involved, citing the ongoing investigation.

Records show Lee currently is a defendant in a murder case out of Winnebago County Illinois.

According to the Winnebago County Circuit Court Clerk's Office, he is charged with first-degree murder and 11 other offenses stemming from a fatal shooting in Loves Park, a small city about 80 miles northwest of Chicago.

The Rockford Register Star reported that Loves Park officers responded about 4 a.m. May 20, 2017, to a shooting, where they found 38-year-old Christopher Peters dead.

Police said Lee and Peters were involved in an altercation when the shooting occurred.

Lee was arrested later that same day when police raided his residence and said they confiscated quantities of cocaine and marijuana, as well as marijuana plants.

Court records show Lee was charged in connection with the drugs, but the homicide-related charges came later.

The circuit court clerk's office said a bill of indictment charging Lee with murder was filed Nov. 1, 2017, and his bail was set at $1 million.

He later was released when $100,000 - or 10 percent - of his bail was posted, according to the clerk's office.

Cedar Rapids police did not comment Monday on the Illinois case.

Crash reconstruction specialists are investigating the fatal wreck. police said. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be submitted to the Linn County Attorney's Office.

The S-curve around downtown is perhaps best known as the site of automated traffic cameras that flag speeding vehicles to be issued tickets later.

Late last month, Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman told a legislative subcommittee considering banning most traffic cameras in Iowa - except those in the S-curve - that the devices have helped greatly reduce crashes in the curve in the decade since they were installed.

Sunday's fatality in the S-curve was the was the first since March 4, 2019, when a 59-year old man lost control of his vehicle on I-380 northbound near the First Avenue W on-ramp, struck a guardrail and flipped over it and landed below.

Comments: (319) 398-8238; kat.russell@thegazette.com

A wrong-way crash early Sunday on northbound Interstate 380 near Seventh Street NE in Cedar Rapids killed one and injured others, police said. (Cedar Rapids Police Department photo)
David Phuong Nguyen obituary photo
Daily Report, Cedar Rapids
Kat Russell

Kat Russell

Reporter, The Gazette

Public safety reporter for The Gazette.

Cedar Rapids man accused of stealing solar panels, attempting to…

Teen stabbed by a sibling at Marion residence, police say

Services set for slain Iowa State Patrol trooper

More than 750,000 Iowans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Police looking for victim in Kum & Go shooting in…

All articles by Kat

Give us feedback

We work hard to provide fair, accurate coverage because we value your trust. If you find an error or omission in our reporting, please tell us here.

Submit a story idea

Do you have a story idea that we should look into? Please tell us here.

Related Stories

Iowa adds 445 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday

Iowa adds 445 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday

Gage Miskimen Health Care and Medicine Apr. 13, 2021 3:41 pm

Iowa adds 666 virus cases on Thursday

Iowa adds 666 virus cases on Thursday

Gage Miskimen Health Care and Medicine Apr. 8, 2021 4:39 pm

No one hurt in Cedar Rapids house fire

No one hurt in Cedar Rapids house fire

Gazette staff Crime and Courts Apr. 6, 2021 12:15 pm

Crime & Courts

Former Minnesota cop charged in shooting of Black motorist

Former Minnesota cop charged in shooting of Black motorist

AP

News 42m ago

Cedar Rapids man accused of stealing solar panels, attempting to…

Cedar Rapids man accused of stealing solar panels, attempting to…

Kat Russell

Crime and Courts 90m ago

Teen stabbed by a sibling at Marion residence, police say

Teen stabbed by a sibling at Marion residence, police say

Kat Russell

Crime and Courts 90m ago

Services set for slain Iowa State Patrol trooper

Services set for slain Iowa State Patrol trooper

Kat Russell

Crime and Courts Apr. 13, 2021 8:52 pm

News

Bottle bill changes kept alive

Bottle bill changes kept alive

James Q. Lynch

Government & Politics 24m ago

Biden to pull US troops from Afghanistan, end 'forever war'

Biden to pull US troops from Afghanistan, end 'forever war'

AP

News 11m ago

Former Minnesota cop charged in shooting of Black motorist

Former Minnesota cop charged in shooting of Black motorist

AP

News 42m ago

Drive-through April Food Box Giveaway is Sunday

Drive-through April Food Box Giveaway is Sunday

Community 2h ago

Crashes

Cyclist hit Wednesday in Coralville dies

Cyclist hit Wednesday in Coralville dies

Lee Hermiston

Crashes Apr. 9, 2021 3:57 pm

Iowa State University crew club leader: Boat capsized when winds…

Iowa State University crew club leader: Boat capsized when winds…

Associated Press

News Apr. 4, 2021 11:52 pm

National rowing association to review ISU student deaths in crew…

National rowing association to review ISU student deaths in crew…

By Phillip Sitter, Ames Tribune

Crime and Courts Apr. 1, 2021 6:12 pm

Garbage truck driver arrested after hit-and-run on Hwy. 30 in…

Garbage truck driver arrested after hit-and-run on Hwy. 30 in…

Kat Russell

News Mar. 31, 2021 8:41 am

Sports

Much for Hawkeye men’s basketball to resolve in offseason

Much for Hawkeye men’s basketball to resolve in offseason

Mike Hlas

Sports 5m ago

Iowa State football getting comfortable in the corner

Iowa State football getting comfortable in the corner

Ben Visser

Iowa State Football 10m ago

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Duane Schulte to be inducted into IFCA…

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Duane Schulte to be inducted into IFCA…

Jeff Johnson

Iowa Prep Football Game Center 3h ago

Lauren Riggle: A versatile player for a versatile Clear Creek…

Lauren Riggle: A versatile player for a versatile Clear Creek…

Nathan Ford

High School Soccer 4h ago

FOLLOW US

The Gazette is Iowa’s independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage.

© 2021 The Gazette

All Rights Reserved.

  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy
  • Web Accessibility

Contact Us

  • 116 3rd St SE
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
  • customercare@thegazette.com
  • (319) 398-8333
  • Live Chat

Links

  • Puzzle Answers
  • CR Arrest Database
  • Article Removal Request
  • Gazette Archives
  • Green Gazette
  • Corridor Careers Jobs
  • Work at The Gazette
  • Customer Care

© 2021 The Gazette

All Rights Reserved.

  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy
  • Web Accessibility
Folience A Folience Company