Coralville man struggles with trooper on interstate, allegedly on heroin

JOHNSON COUNTY - A Coralville man is accused of struggling with a state trooper on the side of Interstate 380, allegedly while under the influence of heroin.

According to Iowa State Patrol criminal complaints, around 5:43 p.m. Wednesday, a state trooper spotted a Toyota sport-utility vehicle speeding southbound on Interstate 380 at the 6 mile marker. Police said the driver, later identified as 24-year-old Evan M. Shaw, passed the trooper at a high rate of speed and proceeded to tailgate the vehicle in front of him. The trooper pulled over Shaw after he jerked his vehicle back into the right lane.

Police said Shaw appeared to be nervous, had rapid and 'sometimes confused or mumbled speech,” and was experiencing tremors. Shaw was asked to walk back to the trooper's patrol car, where he was patted down. A lighter, piece of aluminum foil and pen pipe were found in Shaw's sweat shirt pockets, police said.

Police said Shaw became 'tense and uncooperative” and began to struggle with the trooper. The trooper fought with Shaw across the hood of his patrol car and down the passenger side as Shaw continued to ignore commands to stop. Shaw was taken into custody when an off-duty Cedar Rapids police officer happened by and assisted the trooper.

Shaw was determined to have been driving with a barred license and admitted to using the pen pipe to smoke heroin, though he denied he had used heroin that day. He was transported to the Iowa City Police Department where a field sobriety test showed he was under the influence of drugs, police said. An Iowa City drug recognition expert also evaluated Shaw and determined he was impaired, according to criminal complaints.

Police said Shaw 'displayed heavy mood swings, uncontrollable body tremors and movements and could not sit still” during the evaluations. He was arrested and faces charges of third-offense operating while intoxicated, driving while barred - habitual offender, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with official acts.